Monday, February 7, 2011

Simple Breadmaking

As I look back over today I'm feeling good about what I was able to accomplish.  Some days just flow.. very few interruptions and much accomplished. Today was one of those days. I was able to finish a variety of tasks which is always very fulfilling. Yet, I understand that it's necessary for my conformity (to be more like Jesus) that I not be allowed this luxury consistently. It's good to bow my will to the Father's and to learn to adapt to His schedule rather than mine.

I've been trying to find time to bake bread for quite a few days and finally today was the day. I find breadmaking much easier and less time consuming since I learned to use my bread machine's dough cycle to do the initial work of the kneeding and rising.  Once the dough cycle is finished I drop the dough into a greased loaf pan and let it rise in a warm oven for nearly an hour and then bake it to a golden brown.
In my quest to stretch my pennies (until they scream for mercy) .... I've learned I have to bake and cook ahead of time. If I wait until I'm out of an item then oftentimes I'll give in to the temptation to purchase the item instead.  I was blessed with some large hotdogs from a food pantry. My husband wanted a chili dog so I made whole wheat hot dog rolls today and froze them until the mood hits him.  I also made a loaf of whole wheat sandwich bread and gave half to my mother since she loves it for toast in the mornings.  We try not to eat a lot of bread but my husband still likes his occasional sandwich.

I've been blessed to find whole wheat flour and white flour for breadmaking at $1.50 (5#). I have not figured out how much each loaf costs but I would venture to say that it's much less than half as much as the store bought loaves since you rarely can find a healthy loaf of bread for less than $3.00. I found a bread slicer at a thrift store for less than $3.00 which slices a thin piece for sandwiches.

A few days ago I made whole wheat tortillas. I froze them for future meals. In the past I've always made white flour tortillas so this was the first time I tried my hand at a whole wheat recipe.

Here are a few of the bread type items I try to make at home instead of paying high prices at the grocery store:
- Tortillas
- Sandwich bread
- Hot dog buns
- Hamburger buns
- Pizza crust

Do you make your own bread items? Do you have a favorite recipe?

11 comments:

  1. It's great you make your own bread. It sure does save money and you know for sure what you are putting into your body. I make my own bread too. Sometimes I use a breadmaker and other times I make from scratch as in this one.. http://snapthatpenny.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-two-loaves.html

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  2. I used to make ours, and pizza crust and rolls.. tortillas sometimes--but they were not a big hit--and they are so cheap in a stack at the Mexican grocery or Aldi--

    Anyhoo--we are so 'fluffy' now a days, Hubby and I both-that I stopped. :( I have to try to feed us with much less of the good stuff. I'm whole heartedly pro bread making just sadly I've eaten too much now.

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  3. http://ifyoudostuff.blogspot.com/2010/03/grampa.html

    I do mostly make our bread, buns, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls. I don't make tortillas.
    This link is to our favorite bread, it is basic ingredients, can easily be cut in half. I use it for loaves, roll it out for buns and even use it for cinnamon rolls.

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  4. I tend to buy bread because it's cheaper over here than to make from scratch. Whenever I do get the hankering I have 3 favorite bread recipes.

    These are Finnish, Sämpylas. No knead bread rolls. Put some cheese on top and they are really delicious!

    http://ffmin.blogspot.com/2010/07/sampyla-no-knead-bread-rolls.html

    One hour rise no knead bread. I use this to replace white batter bread since it only has to rise once and makes a great loaf.

    http://proverbsahoy.blogspot.com/2011/01/katrinas-no-knead-one-rise-bread.html

    White batter bread is good, but takes alot of rise time. I'd cut down to 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt too.

    http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/batter-white-bread/Detail.aspx

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  5. I've always made my own bread, own pizza dough and such. However the element in our oven is gone and we aren't buying a new one because we plan on buying a new stove when we move. It's bought bread for now...certainly not the same has homemade. I get it at the discount store 10 for $10.00. Hugs

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  6. I do like to make bread and pizza dough. I always make my own pizza dough but we don't eat much bread so I buy a loaf now and again. Homemade is so much better though - and the smell of it baking is OUTSTANDING!

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  7. I like homemade bread, but have never tried to make hot dog or hamburger rolls. I'll certainly have to give that a try soon! I bet they are amazing.
    I have made pizza dough, but find it's much easier (and better) to just buy dough from the local pizza parlor. Mine just doesn't come out as good. Either way, it's a lot cheaper than take-out!

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  8. PS--I was just checking your list of things you don't throw out. A good way to store plastic bags is not just to wrap them around a paper towel roll but to stuff them inside. You can stuff a LOT of bags in a little roll!

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  9. It sounds like you had a very productive day. Those are always a blessing.

    It's very rewarding to make my own bread and much cheaper. I never bake in my bread machine and just use it for kneading. I have to admit though that I like to knead bread. Very relaxing! :-)

    I agree with baking and cooking ahead. That is key to staying on top of meals.

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  10. I used to make my bread all the time and have a delicious whole wheat recipe that has molasses in it. I've also made pita bread, but my favorite is to make English muffins, cut out of dough with a tuna can. They taste so good, especially fresh. They are too pricey to buy.

    I also did the box tutorial for you on my blog in case you didn't see it. :-)

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  11. Sorry you did leave a comment ... my brain! No I haven't done the English muffins ... I will have to sometime or else send you the recipe if you are interested.

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