Hi everyone!

[punkin]

Welcome, ScottyG!!

Kudos to you for wanting to be more self sufficient because of your new baby. Most new parents want to take the quick and easy and store bught way. (like I did).

Now I am more interested in doing it myself for my family. It gives you a great sense of satisfaction, doesn't it? Besides, fresh baked bread tastes so much better than store bought.

 

[Beekissed]

Punkin, we stopped buying store bought bread about 3 years ago. It has been wonderful to have fresh baked bread all the time and it doesn't take the work that most people think. My boys all have learned how to do it and, I think, can turn out better bread than I most of the time!

 

[FarmerChick]

beekissed
are you using one of those bread machines or are you making loaves for the oven

just wondering. I used the bread machine for a while and the loaves were so tiny...LOL...I gave up. I am thinking of baking bread again......how many and how much do you go thru? Just wondering what is involved to make bread on a constant basis.
thanks for the info

 

[ScottyG]

Karen, I use a bread machine... mostly. I used to think they were dumb, and it's not so hard to make bread the old fashioned way. But with a little baby around, time is just so precious and short that I went ahead and invested in the little machine.

It's just me and my wife eating the bread, so actually the small size of the loaves was a selling point for me. But they do make machines that do full-size loaves. The standard machine is 1.5 pound, but 2 pound machines make regular loaf-pan sized bread. And I have a 1 pound machine, which makes mini loaves (about 8 slices), perfect for 2 people who don't go through things too fast, and don't want to leave preservative-free bread sitting around for very long.

The bread is pretty good... not as good as made the real way, but since it only takes 5 minutes and pressing "start," I'm willing to sacrifice quality a bit, in order to actually do it. I've tried making our bread before from scratch, but I just found myself forgetting to start it, or not quite having the right schedule... the machine takes away my excuses.

 

[Homesteadmom]

Hi Scott, let me say my ds#1 shares your name, so I know right off the bat you are a good guy!! Welcome to the forum a lot of great people are here.

Have you though about container gardening? Then you could at least grow a few things for yourself & get started on gardening.

Congrats on the new baby too. I understand about using the bread machine I do it a lot. WE have a 9 & 2 yr old still at home along with all the animals & homeschooling I find it very easy to throw it all in & push a button too. I would love to have a ZO machine but cost prohibitive at this point. I will buy a elec wheat grinder first!! Do you grind your wheat too? Keep up the good work.

 

[ScottyG]

Oooh, I've never even thought about grinding my own wheat, but that would be really excellent. I'll have to ponder that one. My wife might think I was a bit crazy, but it would be very nice to do that. Looks like they're not SO so expensive... I do, in fact, have a ZO machine, and I love it. Particularly the "french bread" setting, which makes something closer to oven-baked bread. My wife and I bought it for ourselves as an anniversary gift this year. For anniversaries, we just chip in and buy something together for our family, instead of buying each other gifts. And this year, I talked her into the bread machine.

I've thought about the container gardening... right now I feel so squashed for time between the teaching job and the baby care that I can't quite get motivated to get such things done. But I definitely want to move in that direction. Even if I could just do some herbs and a few easy veggies, it would be nice to get started. Hmm. I'll keep pondering. Thanks for the suggestions.

Meanwhile... time to go wash baby bottles!

 

[FarmerChick]

I borrowed the bread machine from my friend Barb to try.....I guess it was the little pound machine?? I never truly looked into buying one.

Tony eats alot of bread. I don't eat bread, and even then the small loaf isn't enough for him..LOL...I pack his lunches and Nicole's lunches so they get sandwiches.

Anyone make rolls. Tony eats alot of breakfast sandwiches like sausage and egg and I put them on rolls....I never made rolls??? Anyone try this?

I have to put some thought into my bread situation..LOL

 

[MorelCabin]

I use a bread machine as a mixer, but I like it much better if it is pulled out of the breadmaker and put in a loaf pan to rise the second time then baked in the oven. I have only actually baked my bread in it once...and didn't like the texture.

Antique white bread Recipe

1 1/4 c water
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Put in breadmaker in order given



Seven Grain Bread

1 2/3 c water
3 tbsp powdered milk
2 tbsp shortning
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
2 1/2 c white flour
3/4 c seven grain cereal
1 1/4 tsp yeast

Put in bread maker in order given

 

[Homesteadmom]

I got my back to basics grinder(hand) for $50. It does give me good arm exercise. But an elec one would be great to have(over $200). I keep looking at the thrift stores too. Who knows maybe one day I will get lucky there & find one for $15(keep your fingers crossed). Fresh ground wheat is so much more wholesome & better for you than store bought wheat flour. The home grind is 100% whereas what you buy off the shelf is not 100% whole wheat. They have to remove the endosperm(oil is stored there) or it will go rancid on the shelf. So if you do start grinding your own & have extra store it in the freezer. Lucky you for the ZO. My dh likes my bread he just wants it shaped like a loaf of bread & the Zo does that. Think about this too, if our economy really crashes at least you would have plenty of wheat to bake bread with & not starve.

Think about lettuce(leaf), radishes, small produce like that for containers to start with.

I don't envy you the baby bottles, that part I am done with for good(till I become a grandma).