Smell of Homemade Bread

A few years into collage I was visiting one of my previous roommates one evening. When I walked in the house was filled with the smell of fresh homemade bread; my friend was just waiting for her bread maker to finish up the last few minutes of baking. I loved the idea of a bread maker. Over the years I occasionally made fresh homemade whole wheat bread by hand; it's a lot of work and time, but always worth the sacrifice. I received a bread maker as a gift from my parents this past year for Christmas but I didn't actually receive it until the beginning of this month. (It's a long story). I was excited when I received my bread maker (or should I say found it on a distant neighbors front porch). I went right to work, first reading the instructions and learning how to use the machine and reviewing all the different options it has. I decided upon what my first bread machine loaf would be....

Whole Wheat Walnut Cinnamon Raisin Bread

It didn't quite turn out in a loaf shape. I think the dough was a little bit too stiff to spread out in the baking pan before it was cooked, so it turned out in an odd shape. With that in mind I tried a second time.

Rosemary French Bread

Now that is more like it! This loaf came out perfect. I added just a little bit more water than it called for during the mixing cycle and then when it was on the rise cycle I checked to make sure the dough had spread out in the pan. I loved the taste of the Walnut Cinnamon Raisin loaf and the softness/moistness of the Rosemary French Bread.

I also made dough for a hummus vegetarian pizza I made. The dough turned out perfect and I couldn't ask for a better pizza crust.

I am not sure what I'll try next. The bread machine not only makes breads but doughs for various other uses, and jams, etc. Maybe I'll attempt my own homemade jams this summer. I love taking a few minutes to dump a few simple ingredients into a bread pan and then having the aroma of freshly baked homemade bread fill the house!

May Challenge: Success (and still learning)