For the people who make thier own bread..

[mrsw94]

Ok, so now I'm totally intrigued and want to try to make my own! I have an 8year old kitchen aid mixer and have NEVER used the dough hook!

Can you post a picture of the kind of pan you use for bread, especially a sandwich-type bread?

Thanks!

 

[crisi]

Save a ton of money, but don't have a bread machine. Too big, too expensive. I don't even use my Kitchenaid. The fun is in making the bread. Including the kneading.

You'll save more money if you make sourdough. That way you have the initial investment in yeast, and then the bread is pretty much flour and sugar (to feed the starter) and water. But you have to like sourdough.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the dough hook, and don't have a separate bread machine.

My mom uses her bread machine all the time and wanted to buy me one for Christmas a couple years ago. I told her that I used my Kitchenaid mixer to make bread dough and was happy doing it that way... but that we would like a good quality (computerized, that cooks by sensing the moisture in the pan) rice cooker, instead. She bought the rice cooker and we use it 3-4 times a week. However, the next year she bought us that darn bread machine. It doesn't fit in any of my cupboards and so has been collecting dust on the counter since we got it. I think we've used it ONCE in the last year.

 

[mrsw94]

You'll save more money if you make sourdough. That way you have the initial investment in yeast, and then the bread is pretty much flour and sugar (to feed the starter) and water. But you have to like sourdough.

We LOVE sourdough!! (We live in the CA Bay Area, so it's EVERYWHERE!) I'd love to be able to make it at home. Suggestions for a recipe?
Thanks!

 

[buzz5985]

I love my bread machine and use it for just about everything -- from baking bread to baking to bread to making homemade jam and even for cakes and meatloaf. It does save us quite a bit of money during the year. HOWEVER we also paid a small fortune for the bread machine as I have a Zojirushi. I personally wouldn't trade it for anything.

Despite loving the machine and using it like crazy, I do still buy regular sliced bread from the grocery store for basic PB&J sandwiches for the kids. The bread machine is great for a lot of my specialty breads but I don't find it to be a replacement when the kids just want a PB&J sandwich.

I have a Zojirushi bread machine also. Use the dough setting all the time to make sandwich rolls - look at King Arthurs website for wonderful recipes. I received the machine 3 years ago - and haven't bought any bread or rolls since. And yes I work full time. LOL

Try cutting your bread with an electric knife.

Try this recipe -from www.recipezaar.com for a PB&J sandwich - I bake the bread in a conventional oven - not in the machine my DS does not like the crust in the bread machine.

Soft as Wonder Bread

1 cup water (room temp.)
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered milk (not skim)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directionsrep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
1 Add ingredients in order given (this is for my machine, your's maybe different). 2 Select dough cycle. 3 When done, take out dough and on a floured surface, shape into loaf and place in loaf pan. (I try to work it as little as possible). 4 Let rise in a warm place for approximately 40 minutes until doubled in size. 5 Bake on centre rack of preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. 6 Cool on wire rack before slicing. ? Have a question about this recipe? Ask the community. Spot an error? Submit a correction.
Print This Recipe

 

[Swimalie]

We also have a Zojirushi and it is by far the best bread machine out there. If you are looking to make bread for sandwiches, it will also make jelly that is really good so you can save some money there. I actually like the bread baked in the bread machine. We just do it on the light setting. I however, LOVE the bread when just the dough is made in there, too. We have a bread bowl, french loaf pan, mini loaf pans, etc to make all sorts of different types of breads.

 

[crisi]

We LOVE sourdough!! (We live in the CA Bay Area, so it's EVERYWHERE!) I'd love to be able to make it at home. Suggestions for a recipe?
Thanks!

I'd just google sourdough starter. I haven't had any around for a long time - I'm gluten intolerant so I don't bake too much bread any longer.

 

[let'sgo]

I make most of our bread and now no one wants store bread anymore. I don't have a machine, I mix it with a big wooden spoon and kneed it myself. It seemed like a lot of work, but now I have done it so much that it goes together quickly.

My SIL had a bread machine and she said that it came in handy.

It's fun being able to make different types--but it seems as if they don't last too long. They are too good!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I just ordered a Hamilton Beech bread machine form Kmart last week. It was $50 (free shipping too!). I will easily recoup that cost. We buy no less than 3 loaves of bread a week here. I also will only buy certain brands of bread so I can't just shop sale bread. For me the machine is worth it because I know what is in the bread (no chemicals) and I also can just put the stuff in and forget about it. I do not have time to let bread rise, punch it down, let it rise, bake it etc. My kids also love homemade bread.

 

[charming23]

We have a bread machine that my grandma handed down to us. It makes great bread nad I like the fact that it does all the work for you.

I have to agree with the tip to slice your homemade bread with an electric knife. It makes it much easier to slice and you can get thinner slices that way.

 

[lucyem]

I have a Zojirushi as well. I found it took some tweaking of the settings but I now get fabulous bread from it. I have tried by hand with my kitchen aid and I always end up with a mess. Plus time is huge with me. We use the Zo almost daily. We make our own breads, sourdough starter, pudding, pizza dough and more. I put in the ingredients and it does it's thing.

We started making our own bread because my DS had an anaphylactic dairy allergy. Try and find bread without dairy and high fructose corn syrup.

Someone online gave me a wonderful honey whole wheat bread recipe I am happy to share. PM me if interested. The settings for the Zo are included and are the ones I tend to use for most of my normal breads. This bread ends up softer then a lot of store bought breads so my kids love it.

 

[McQueenofHrts]

Original OP here! Thanks for all the great info! I became interested in a bread machine one night as I was flipping through tv channels avoiding reality tv and saw someone demostrating a bread machine on a shopping channel. I, too, loved the fact that you could not only make bread, but jam and other things as well. So, I started looking and saw that the only decent models were the Panasonic and the Zo. Well, I hadn't planned on spending over $100 on a bread machine. I never thought of looking in a thrift store for an appliance. I am afraid it won't work and I can't return it. Of course, I never asked either! So, I think I might try that and making the bread on my own as others have suggested. My arms could use a little muscle! In the meantime, I can save for the ZO or Panasonic and really consider my "wants" versus my "needs"!

Again, thanks for everyone's suggestions. Keep the recipes coming too! Happy Baking Everyone!

 

[DawnM]

See if you can find a used one.

I got a Zojirushi bread machine at a thrift store for $7. It works perfectly! It is an older model and I would love a new one that makes bread into loaves that lay flat, but for the price, I am very happy with the one I have!

Dawn

 

[seasheller]

My husband loves home made bread. Since I have problems with my hands and can't knead very well any more, we have four bread machines. The first one bought new for $25, the others at garage sales for $4-5. I put all four going at once with just the dough setting. Then bake them in the oven. I usually make 12 loaves a day since all the ingredients are out. Between the making, rising, baking it works very well to keep going. The bread keeps very well in the freezer. I always get compliments on the bread, and my kids love taking a loaf home whenever they come over. (Needless to say, I have lots of cupboard space for storing the machines. Happy baking!

 

[lucyem]

See if you can find a used one.

I got a Zojirushi bread machine at a thrift store for $7. It works perfectly! It is an older model and I would love a new one that makes bread into loaves that lay flat, but for the price, I am very happy with the one I have!

Dawn

You were lucky. I have always been told to check thrift stores but ever found a bread maker at any of ours.

 

[DawnM]

Well, I had never seen a Zo there before, but I have seen other brands of breadmakers.

Do you yard sale shop? I see them there as well, although I haven't paid much attention to them because I already have one.

Mine is about 10 years old and a stand up 1.5 pound loaf model. My husband commented that he would like to get the kind that makes a regular looking loaf, but then he checked the prices and decided this kind was absolutely fine!

I am a HUGE thrift store and yard sale junkie though.....I go a lot....and you really can't find specific things by going once or twice, you have to have a running list and go often.

Dawn

You were lucky. I have always been told to check thrift stores but ever found a bread maker at any of ours.