Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Soup's perfect companion

Now that it's November, I'm feeling the transition from fall to winter starting already. It's time to move past the pumpkins and harvest-y things toward frost and (dare I say it?!) snow, and pine wreaths and white lights...

I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. I love Christmas. I should do a post about that sometime, similar to this one.  But not today. Maybe a
week or twoday or two from now. :)

Today it's about transition. That sort-of-chilly, no-snow-on-the-ground-but-frosty, no-more-leaves-on-the-trees time of year. Bring on the soups!!

I love making soup in the crockpot. Unfortunately you will probably never see a soup recipe posted here. That's because I tend to start with a written recipe, then as the day goes on and I continue to taste the soup, I end up adding things. A dash of this, a sprinkle of that. Until finally when dinnertime rolls around I've created the perfect soup recipe that I will never be able to duplicate.

Now bread, on the other hand... I love bread. And I think every soup should be served with some type of bread. One of the things I put on our wedding registry 7 years ago -- one of those if-I-get-it-great-but-if-I-don't-I'm-not-buying-it-for-myself -- was a $100 breadmaker. Guess what? I got it. And IT'S PROBABLY MY MOST FAVORITE WEDDING GIFT.



My favorite breadmaker recipe (from the book that came with the maker) is simply called "White Wheat Bread". It goes great with any dish, as it's not seasoned or flavored in any way, and turns out perfect each time. Except when the yeast is getting old, but that's more my fault...

White Wheat Bread
For 2 lb. loaf:
1 1/4 cups + 2 Tb warm water
2 Tb oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 Tb dry milk
3 1/2 cups bread (white) flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Add ingredients in order to breadmaker. Select Basic White Bread Cycle.

If I tried a little harder, I could probably get away with never buying bread from the grocery store. But I just have not gotten into the habit of making this bread consistently, and I always manage to find store-bought bread on sale. So this bread has become more of a special treat.

I have honestly never made bread truly from scratch. I've tried some roll recipes, but have never been able to get the rising stage correct. I love how the breadmaker does it all for me! It's definitely an appliance worth investing in, or asking for for Christmas... :)

Do you like to bake homemade bread?

21 comments:

  1. Just found your blog through the Tiggerific Tuesday blog hop and started following! I'll have to try this recipe out.

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  2. I am a breadmaker fan too! I got my first one when I had all five of our children at home. I ran a loaf first thing every morning for lunch and another in the afternoon for breakfast the next day. Now that all the kids are all grown and I am on breadmachine #2 I make 1-2 loaves a week. I also do just the dough cycle for other bread items like sandwich rolls. The leftover bits make fabulous croutons for salads. The machine has a permanent place on my kitchen counter!

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  3. I really should get into the habit of making it daily. Unfortunately we don't have any permanent counter space to put the machine!

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  4. Welcome! I'm now following you too!

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  5. Just became a follower stopping by from Blog it forward Tuesday. Would love a follow back.
    Minta
    http://www.mintascreations.blogspot.com/

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  6. MacGyver has been wanting a breadmaker for years, but I could never justify it. Now, though, I'm thinking I could make some neat herb or veggie breads.

    My mom always made bread from scratch and everyone loved it but me. I found the crust too tough.

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  7. My best friend's husband has been asking for one for years too -- he always raves about it when I have fresh bread when they come over for dinner. She's finally breaking down and getting him one for Christmas this year...

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  8. Thanks for visiting! I'm now following you too!

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  9. Hi! I', a new follower from the Totally Tuesday Hop. :-)

    I LOVE my bread maker! Bread is one of my favorite things to make ever!

    Please feel free to check out my blog and follow if you like at http://smartcentsreview.blogspot.com/
    And be sure to check back on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd. I am giving away a stunning pair of custom made earrings, valued at $25! :-)

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  10. hi, I found you from Wobble over Wednesday. I don't make homemade bread, but my mom does all the time. We used to have a bread maker as well, but now she does it all from scratch. it's quite the talent!

    AubrieAnne
    http://whosyoureditor.blogspot.com/

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  11. I am a huge fan of home made bread, I already have a machine too, but honestly I am fed up with the bottom part of the bread getting ruined by the mixing spoon! :) Any ideas on that?

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  12. Hey!

    I'm your newest GFC, Facebook & Twitter follower from BHSJW!

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  13. I love homemade bread! I've been meaning to try to make it regularly and stop buying store-bought as well! Maybe that will eventually actually happen?!

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  14. We'll see if I ever get to the point of never buying store-bought again... Not anytime in the too-near future :)

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  15. Thanks for stopping by!

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  16. The mixing paddle in my machine tends to come off in the bread when I get the bread out of the pan, then I have to try and carefully cut it out with a knife. :-P No solutions at this point -- I just figure it adds to the "homemade-ness" of it ;-)

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  17. Thanks so much for participating in my wednesday hump day blog hop. Following you now via google friend connect! Please follow back if you don't already.

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  18. I used to make bread in a bread machine like that when I had lots more family. The bread would wind up being dinner and was gone in seconds.

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  19. I made bread last night with potato soup, and I'm sure I ate more bread than I did soup... :)

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  20. Thanks for stopping by! I'm following you as well. :) P.S. I LOVE the Christmas countdown you have on your blog!!

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  21. I love soup and bread - and I cook like you, I like to experiment and make up recipes:-) Works great until someone wants the recipe.
    Thanks for sharing with NOBH.
    Stefanie

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