Update on Daily Bread Post #1 and Post #2: I’m still baking bread almost every other day!  The recipes that start in the bread machine and are then put in bread pans to rise seem to be the easiest to fit into busy weekdays.  I keep the more time intensive ones for the weekends.  Maybe I’m at a point where I can stop purchasing bread from the grocery store? 

Below are three new recipes that I’ve added to the mix:

Update on Daily Bread Post #1: I’m getting better!  I try to bake something at least three times a week and I think the consistency is key.  Through lots of trail and error, I’m learning what a properly kneaded dough consistency looks like.  I’m better at handling ciabatta dough (the trick is flouring everything).  Best of all, I’m gaining confidence and my curiosity drives me to try more and more.  Bread has become a surprising aspect of self-care for me this winter.

Below are four new recipes that I’ve added to the mix:

• Dutch Oven Bread
• My first try at learning about bread by sight and feel.  It’s fascinating to me that four simple ingredients can react together to make such a artful product.  
• Consensus: SO good!  Just fluffy enough and the crust was delicious.  
• Homemade Cinnamon Bread
• I made this one with the kids.  I definitely need practice with tighter rolling, but they didn’t seem to mind. 
• Consensus: Delicious.  Definitely a sweet bread and it made a nice afternoon snack.  I wish it had lasted longer to have toasted for breakfast!
• Soft Pretzel Rolls
• Thanks for the link, KD!  My first time boiling dough and scoring the tops.  I loved the whole process.  
• Consensus: When Mark tried one, he declared that they were even better than Wegmans – HIGH praise since Wegmans is his favorite!  I’ve made them three times since and like them either dipped in cinnamon sugar or as a sandwich with lunchmeat and cheese.
• French Bread
• This recipe makes two huge loaves, which is great for my family.  I need to work on my pinching and sealing technique – one loaf ended up looking a little funky.
• Consensus: A delicious dense loaf that went perfectly with our white chicken lasagna soup.  I think it would be a good pick for sandwiches too.

I live in a farmhouse on five acres in the country.  It’s time for this suburban girl to learn a few things!  

Welcome to my self-taught Homesteading 101.

I should probably start with this disclaimer: I’m still buying bread at the grocery store and this doesn’t happen every day.  But steps in the right direction!

I’ve been fascinated by the art and skill of bread baking for awhile now…and honestly, more than a little intimidated.  But I’ve been telling my kids that to be better at something, we have to work hard at it and well, maybe Mama needs to listen to what she’s preaching.

Below are the four recipes I’ve tried so far:

• “Best Bread Machine Bread”
• I started this on my bread machine’s dough setting and then separated into two loaf pans.  After they rose again (about an hour or two, depending on the day), I baked for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.
• Consensus: Delicious!  The kids ate the entire loaf in one sitting.  We’ve made the recipe four times since.
• Ciabatta Bread
• After getting a recommendation for ciabatta on Instagram (thank you Katherine!!), I googled and found this recipe.  Um… this definitely wasn’t Ciabatta 101.  This required a two-day process and I even made my own starter/sponge!  
• Consensus: I may have done something wrong here – I don’t think it was as airy as it was supposed to be.  Still super delicious.  We ate it with soup.   
• Ciabatta Bread
• THIS is the recipe I think Katherine was talking about, hah!  The bread machine does most of the work for you, but the second half? Oh.my.word.  I was a hot mess.  The gooey, sticky dough is supposed to rest under a bowl for 15 minutes and I had the hardest time getting it underneath.  My kids kept yelling, “IT’S ALIVE!!”  Don’t even get me started about transferring to a baking sheet to rise…  
• Consensus: Yum.  My technique needs improvement, but definitely airier than the one I made above.
• White Bread
• Mark found this recipe and led the baking of this one.  It makes two massively tall loaves!  I’m thinking that we could separate it into four instead and it wouldn’t make much of a difference.
• Consensus: As far as sheer size, these are the clear winners, but I prefer the taste of the other breads above.

Still on my list: bread cooked in the Dutch oven, something that uses almond flour, pretzel bites, and maybe a cinnamon raisin loaf.  And probably a workout plan too.  Thank goodness there are 8 people in this house or I’d need a bigger pair of pants!