VickiLynn - Finding The Balance

[Jamsoundsgood]

I've done whole wheat in my bread maker the same way, and will again, when I can get a decent grain mill. Right now I'm in protest until my husband shells out the money. I have an enormous amount of wheat and various grains given to me from my FIL just sitting here and I don't feel good about buying wheat flour when I could just grind it. I have a hand-crank grinder that's great for coarse grinds like corn meal and such, but I like my wheat flour really fine. So until he gets me what I want I'm buying bread flour. One of these days I'm going to sit down and actually do the math on how much we spend on flour a month and the fact that we wouldn't be spending any money on it for years if he bought me a good one (yes, there is that much grain).

 

[VickiLynn]

You said you mix the bread in the machine, but bake it in the oven. Why don't you leave it in the machine to bake?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I bake my bread in the oven too. It comes out much nicer, softer and fluffier when it is baked in the oven. I have only baked it in the bread machine once or twice, and it was a hard lump. It is soooo much nicer when done in the oven.

 

[Henrietta23]

My bread machine makes an odd shaped loaf for sandwiches and it doesn't make as nice a crust. So I do my sandwich loaves in a bread pan in the oven and I do peasant breads in there for a nice crust. When I make bread that is. :/

 

[VickiLynn]

I've been mixing my bread in my Kitchen Aid, and baking it in the oven. The other day I picked up a bread maker at a garage sale for $5 (looks like new), thinking I'd see how long this one lasts. But now that you mention it, the crusts always came out thick and hard after they baked. I think I'll give your method a try.

 

[Farmfresh]

I used to transfer my bread to the oven as well and did lots of rolls by kneading in the bread machine. Now that I have to do Gluten Free bread I have to let it bake in the machine. Gluten Free bread is so goopy you can't pick it up until it is baked.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Could you share your GF bread recipe? I tried one batch, and it went into the garbage. I have been scared to do it again. but now you say it is supposed to be goopy? maybe I did do it right. anyways, I would like a tried and true recipe, please...

 

[Farmfresh]

I have yet to be able to make my own mix that works. I use Bob's Red Mill "Homemade Wonderful" bread mix with an extra egg and a 1/4 cup of sugar added. Tastes great!

 

[VickiLynn]

We got some thunder storms here last night. A good thing because we really needed the rain, but I worried all night about my chicks out in their tractor. But this morning found them all happy and hungry.

I moved all my started plants out to a cold frame, giving us back about 15 square feet of walking space in the dining room. Feels like the house just got bigger.

Organic milk is on sale at my grocery store, so I bought an extra gallon, and last night I made two quarts of yogurt. It turned out great! In the past, my attempts at yogurt have always turned out runny, but yesterday I found somewhere on the internet that with yogurt, less is more. Meaning the addition of too much starter crowds the bacteria and it doesn't grow as well. I had been using 1/4 to 1/2 cup of yogurt per quart of milk. I cut back to 2 tablespoons per quart and it came out nice and thick.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Meaning the addition of too much starter crowds the bacteria and it doesn't grow as well.

Really! Now here I thought that if it was runny, you needed more starter. going to start another batch. thanks for the info!!!!