I Got a Bread Maker for Christmas, Now What?

[kcjodih]

My inlaws bought me a bread maker for Christmas. Not sure why, maybe because I never make bread? LOL

Anyway, now I'm excited to try it but there are only a couple of recipes in the manual. I need to pick up yeast and some skim milk powder for one of them. Does anyone have a breadmaker that they use and recipes that they love that they'd be willing to share? Or a website with tried and true breadmaker recipes? Also can recipes be interchanged from one machine to another without adjustments to the recipes? I have NO idea what I'm doing :blushing:

TIA

 

[candiejayne]

I'll see if I can't get my mom's recipe for oatmeal bread, it's soooo good! I don't have a bread machine otherwise I'd have the recipe on hand!

 

[chefann]

Also can recipes be interchanged from one machine to another without adjustments to the recipes? I have NO idea what I'm doing :blushing:

The only reason a recipe might have to be adjusted is for size. Different machines make different size loaves: 1 lb, 1.5 lb, and 2 lb are typical.

Have you checked a general cooking site like foodnetwork.com or epicurious.com? They'd probably have oodles of recipes and tips for you.

 

[cookingwith_tara]

YOu can buy breadmaker bread mix in a box with everything you need including the yeast. The brand I've used before is Krusteaz and I've only ever added water (or milk). They have a lot of different types like sourdough, white bread, lemon poppy, cranberry, etc. And you don't have to make just bread with the bread maker. Mine has a button for dough only - which I've used to make rolls, bread sticks, and pizza crust.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

i bought a cookbook I think electric bread is the name of it when we bought our first bread machine years ago when they first came out.
we are on our 3rd machine I usually cheat and use the mixes that were mentioned by Tara nothing better than fresh bread baking

 

[kcjodih]

Okay I'll look for those mixes to start. Thanks ladies.

Ann, I've only perused allrecipes but I'm leary if my friends haven't tried them first. That's why I checked here

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Feel free to make me some raisin cinnamon bread. I'll give you my address! LOL

 

[esavvymom]

I make my bread "the old fashioned way", so haven't tried these recipes, but came across this site: Bread Maker RecipesLooks like it might be a good source for recipes. Enjoy!

 

[janetupnorth]

My FAVORITE bread recipe is the 4 Herb Bread from the Taste of Home 2000 cookbook (also can be found online at TasteofHome.com) I'll often mix white/wheat flour with it rather than using all white.It is delicious!!!!There is also a good white bread recipe on their site I made last week.My friend also makes her pizza dough in it...here is her recipe:1 cup plus 2 T water
2T olive or veg. oil
3 cups Gold Medal Better for Bread Flour (or equivalent)
2T grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. Bread Machine YeastMeasure carefully, placing all ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order recommended.Select Dough/Manual Cycle - 1 hr. 40 min.(The machine kneads the dough and lets it rise).To Bake: Heat over to 400 degrees and bake 18-20 minutes. (Makes 2 pizzas).She'll often make dough then freeze some for use later.

 

[Stampaholic1961]

What kind of bread machine do you have? I have a book called "Bread Machine Baking...Perfect Every Time.....75 Foolproof Bread & Dessert Recipes Custom-Created for the 12 Most Popular Bread Machines". I have one or two favorites although I haven't made bread for a few years!!! My grandma used to make bread (without a machine) all the time. I need to experiment & see how to make it in the machine! It was the best bread ever!!

 

[Jennie4PC]

Janet
The 4 herb bread sounds yummy. I have tried to sell my bread machine at my last 2 yard sells, I will have to pull it out and try that recipe. Thanks.

 

[scottcooks]

BREAD MACHINE BUTTERY BREADThis will make you fall back “in love” with your bread machine!2 ½ teaspoons rapid rise yeast
3 ¾ cups bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons buttery flavored oil (for corn popping)
¼ cup sugar
1 cup water – warm to your fingers, NOT hot!
1/3 cup milk, warmed – NOT hot!Combine water & milk in bowl and warm in microwave about 2 minutes – just cozy warm, NOT hot! (At least twice I’ve killed the yeast by making this too hot) Put dry ingredients into bread machine in order listed, with water/milk mixture last. Push “start”. If your machine has the options, this is a White bread and you want a Light crust.(Also delicious as Rosemary Bread with 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves added at the beginning, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons kosher salt on top as it bakes. Or, for Olive Rosemary Bread use olive oil instead of buttery oil, and add 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary at the beginning plus your choice of ¾ cup of pitted olives, drained on paper towels first. Still salt the top with 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Fantastic!)Yield: 1 loaf Prep time: 120 minutes

 

[janetupnorth]

Here is the other recipe:Four-Herb Bread
Taste of HomeMarjoram, thyme, basil and chives season this moist loaf, submitted by Sue Murphy of Greenwood, Michigan. "A friend gave me this recipe," she says. "The aroma while it's baking will make you think of a stuffed turkey roasting in the oven."SERVINGS: 16CATEGORY: Low FatMETHOD: Bread MachineTIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 3-4 hours
Ingredients: * 1-1/4 cups water (70° to 80°)
* 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
* 3 cups bread flour
* 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon minced chives
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 teaspoons active dry yeastDirections:
In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available. Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf (1-1/2 pounds, 16 slices).

 

[kcjodih]

I make my bread "the old fashioned way", so haven't tried these recipes, but came across this site: Bread Maker Recipes

Looks like it might be a good source for recipes. Enjoy!

Thank you. I looked there and have bookmarked it. Where to start is the problem now!

 

[kcjodih]

Here is the other recipe:

Four-Herb Bread
Taste of Home

Marjoram, thyme, basil and chives season this moist loaf, submitted by Sue Murphy of Greenwood, Michigan. "A friend gave me this recipe," she says. "The aroma while it's baking will make you think of a stuffed turkey roasting in the oven."

SERVINGS: 16

CATEGORY: Low Fat

METHOD: Bread Machine

TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 3-4 hours
Ingredients:

* 1-1/4 cups water (70° to 80°)
* 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
* 3 cups bread flour
* 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon minced chives
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:
In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available. Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf (1-1/2 pounds, 16 slices).

Sounds delicious! Thanks Janet, for this recipe and also for the pizza dough.

 

[kcjodih]

BREAD MACHINE BUTTERY BREAD

This will make you fall back “in love” with your bread machine!

2 ½ teaspoons rapid rise yeast
3 ¾ cups bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons buttery flavored oil (for corn popping)
¼ cup sugar
1 cup water – warm to your fingers, NOT hot!
1/3 cup milk, warmed – NOT hot!

Combine water & milk in bowl and warm in microwave about 2 minutes – just cozy warm, NOT hot! (At least twice I’ve killed the yeast by making this too hot)

Put dry ingredients into bread machine in order listed, with water/milk mixture last. Push “start”. If your machine has the options, this is a White bread and you want a Light crust.

(Also delicious as Rosemary Bread with 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves added at the beginning, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons kosher salt on top as it bakes. Or, for Olive Rosemary Bread use olive oil instead of buttery oil, and add 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary at the beginning plus your choice of ¾ cup of pitted olives, drained on paper towels first. Still salt the top with 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Fantastic!)

Yield: 1 loaf Prep time: 120 minutes

YUMMO!! Thanks Scott! One question, do I follow the directions for the recipe or for my machine? My machine states liquid first, dry next, and then small hole in dry for yeast.

 

[kcjodih]

What kind of bread machine do you have? I have a book called "Bread Machine Baking...Perfect Every Time.....75 Foolproof Bread & Dessert Recipes Custom-Created for the 12 Most Popular Bread Machines". I have one or two favorites although I haven't made bread for a few years!!!

My grandma used to make bread (without a machine) all the time. I need to experiment & see how to make it in the machine! It was the best bread ever!!

Black and Decker Horizontal Bread Maker - makes 2, 2.5 and 3 lb loaves.

 

[pcsharon1]

I bought one last year and have found all of my recipes on All recipes – complete resource for recipes and cooking tips Just put bread machine in your search and you'll come up with just about anything. We like the High Protein bread and there have been a couple of versions of oatmeal bread I made several times.

 

[Stampaholic1961]

Black and Decker Horizontal Bread Maker - makes 2, 2.5 and 3 lb loaves.

Unfortunately that isn't in the book I have. I looked & my recipe book was printed in 1993!!! I wonder if they have an updated book! It's a great book. They explain all about each ingredient & how they work & why some recipes that turn out great in one machine are complete flops in another. I'm sure there have been tons of new models put out in the last 15 years!

 

[kcjodih]

Unfortunately that isn't in the book I have. I looked & my recipe book was printed in 1993!!! I wonder if they have an updated book! It's a great book. They explain all about each ingredient & how they work & why some recipes that turn out great in one machine are complete flops in another. I'm sure there have been tons of new models put out in the last 15 years!

Thanks for looking anyway! I've spent an hour now on both allrecipes and taste of home. There are tons that have good ratings but I just wish I knew the people who rated kwim? They could have entirely different tastes than I!

I'm just looking for a simple white bread (for dh eww!), whole grain bread (for the rest of us), cinnamon raisin and maybe an oatmeal and something else. I want to cook them entirely in my bread maker while I'm still in bed or still at work. Not use it to knead and then transfer to oven. I'm going to try Janet's and Scott's and a couple from TOH and see what happens.

I've got to go get yeast, dry milk powder and bread flour first. Is there a difference in yeasts or bread flour as opposed to all purpose or wheat? Guess I could go look up those questions as well...

Thanks again all!

 

[kcjodih]

Okay, I just noticed Scott's recipe calls for rapid rise yeast and Janet's for bread machine yeast and the other for active dry yeast! WTH? Do I need 3 different yeasts in my house now? I never even had one in my house before.

 

[scottcooks]

Use whichever - what's the worst that will happen?My bread machine asks for wet ingredients last. If yours wants them first, Jodi, then do what it says. It is a great loaf. Typically I just let the machine knead it, then pop it into a stoneware loaf pan, let it rise until it looks right, then bake at 350.

 

[janetupnorth]

I use whatever yeast I have in the house, as long as it isn't expired, it works just fine.For flours, I've used regular flour when I don't have bread flour on hand, but bread flour is better. Have fun with your new toy! I love freshly baked bread...might put some in today after all this...after all, I did get bread flour yesterday!

 

[Stampaholic1961]

I'm just looking for a simple white bread (for dh eww!), whole grain bread (for the rest of us), cinnamon raisin and maybe an oatmeal and something else.

I don't like white bread except for homemade!

 

[janetupnorth]

Home-Style White BreadQuick Cooking
Try a FREE ISSUE of Simple & Delicious!Serve this basic white bread with butter and jam, or use slices to assemble your favorite sandwiches.SERVINGS: 16CATEGORY: Low FatMETHOD: Bread MachineTIME: Prep: 5 min. Bake: 3 hours + cooling
Ingredients: * 1 cup water (70° to 80°)
* 2 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
* 3 cups bread flour
* 2 teaspoons active dry yeastDirections:
In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available. Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf (about 1-1/2 pounds and 16 slices).

 

[zmom58]

King Arthur Bread Flour is the best, the gluten content is high. Check out their website too. I also use "The Bread Machine Cookbook" by Donna Rathmell German...Nitty Gritty cookbooks. They have a whole series of small sized cookbooks that have awesome bread and dough recipes. I usually use the dough cycle and bake in some type of stone for the best bread, rolls, cinnamon rolls etc...Read your dough manual that came with your machine or go to their website. Electric Bread and More Electric Bread are good cookbook choices, by Innovative Cooking Enterprises. Pizza dough is the absolute best in the bread machine...:The Best Pizza is made at Home" another good cookbook by Donna R.G. Nitty Gritty cookbooks. Keep experimenting and use the best ingredients...King Arthur Bread flour, fresh milk, butter, etc... and you won't be disappointed. Enjoy and don't give up.
Deb

 

[PamperedSheep]

saving to enjoy later. thanks