It amazes me how inexpensive bread is when you make it yourself. Yes, you can buy a loaf of bread for a couple of bucks at the supermarket, but that bread is awful and has almost no substance.

To buy bread that has bread like qualities expect to pay anywhere from $4-$10 a loaf.

You can make homemade bread for a fraction of those costs, and customize it to suite your tastes and needs. However, making bread can be a labor intensive process. You can circumvent the labor by using a bread machine.

I have been rediscovering my bread maker, which is over 20 years old. Additionally, I found another used bread maker at a thrift store for only $14 which works well. As you know, I like to play around with machines.

My bread maker has to be at least 20 years old.

I picked up this bread maker at a second hand store for $14 and it works surprisingly well. It even came with its original guide and recipe book. In fact, today’s recipe is from that book!

The wonderful thing about a bread maker is that you add the ingredients, which takes a few minutes, and press a button. Everything is then done automatically. Imagine having your house filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread. It is quite intoxicating.

I have been experimenting with a lot of different loaves from simple white to pesto bread. I made an excellent 7 grain bread that was considerably less expensive than its store bought counterpart. However, I wondered if I could reduce the cost further by using oatmeal as my multi-grain component. I followed a recipe in the Regal bread maker manual/cookbook and it turned out with great success. The cost of the loaf? Only $1.02!

Here is the recipe:

9-11 ounces water

1.5 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey

1.5 tablespoons butter or margarine

2/3 cup quick oats

3 and 1/4 cups bread or AP flour (I used AP flour)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Add ingredients in the order listed and use the white bread or “basic” cycle. This recipe is suitable for a bread maker that can make a 1.5 or 2 pound loaf.

Start with 10 ounces of water. If you want to do things right, check the dough after it has been kneaded for around 5 minutes. If the dough looks ratty and not in a smooth ball add more water, about 1 tablespoon and wait 30 seconds before you add the next tablespoon. Stop when the the dough forms a ball. If the dough looks too wet, add a tablespoon of flour in the same manner that you would add the water. You are looking for a smooth ball similar to the photo below.

Let the bread cool for around 20 minutes before attempting to slice it. A serrated knife makes slicing easy. If the paddle is stuck in the bread carefully remove it using something like a plastic spoon as you don’t want to scratch the non-stick coating on the paddle. I take the pan out of the machine as soon as the bread is done. Then, I usually leave the bread in the pan for 5-10 minutes before trying to remove it. This results in less tearing of the bread at the paddle site.

The bread was really delicious. It is best to slice as you go as homemade bread lacks the preservatives that store-bought breads have. However, my family is more likely to use the bread if it is pre-sliced. I like to store it in a container that protects it while having a bit of air circulation. This keeps it the freshest and minimizes mold. The bread is best on day one and two, and usable as excellent toast on day 3 and possibly 4. After that save remains for croutons, bread pudding, stuffing, bread crumbs, and French toast. Remember, you can always freeze part of the loaf if you can’t consume it all in a couple of days.

I’m keeping mine fresh using a cake dome that has a little air hole in the top. Others use a bread box that has ventilation holes, while others use a bread bag. Plastic bags will keep it the softest the longest, but plastic traps moisture and promotes mold. However, I have stored my bread that way too.

Peace

Mike