Our Basic Bread Recipe

I love to bake.

Unfortunately, I don't have as much time as I would like to bake with a busy career & two kids.

That being said...the bread machine is my new best friend.

A friend gave it to me several years ago..a thrifting find.

It sat on a shelf getting dusty for a long time.

I love to knead dough.

It is so very meditative.

I love to watch my dough rising in a bowl on the stove.

I had no tolerance at all for this impostor that was in my house.

But, I just couldn't get rid of it.

Finally one day as I was Spring cleaning I pulled this big, white, clunky thing out of the cabinet & dusted it off. I took a good hard look at it & decided to give it a whirl.

Truth be told, all that was accomplished was the house smelled like bread baking & that loaf flopped in the center and was hard.

The dog ate it.

Again, Ms. Machine went back in the cabinet.

About a month later, we walked into the library & I spotted a recipe book just for the bread machine. Who knew you could make so many things with it?

I sat in the children's section scribbling recipes on scrap paper for over an hour and came straight home to try one.

Three months have passed since that day & I have since made at least two loaves a week with her.

I must say, I am quite satisfied.

We never have to buy bread again.

When I am too tired to bake by hand, it takes me less then 3 minutes to load the ingredients in & set it to go.

If I do it before bed, we have fresh yumminess to wake up too.

I never thought I'd say it but I'm quite smitten with my bread machine.

Here is my Basic Bread Recipe. I played around with flours & sweeteners & this one still is my children's favorite.

Sara's Basic Bread Recipe

1 c. warm filtered water

3 tbsp local honey

3 tbsp organic, non-hydrogenated oil

2 c. Whole Wheat flour

1 c. Whole Wheat Pastry flour

1 tsp. sea salt

1 package yeast

Set to basic light bread.