Basic Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

1 Cup warm waster

2 teaspoons quick rising yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup oil

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

Pour warm water in a bowl, add sugar and yeast and let sit for 10 minutes. Slowly stir in flour and salt until dough pulls from the sides of bowl. Lightly flour counter and knead dough for 5-7 minutes. Clean and grease your bowl.

Form the dough into a ball and put into the greased bowl, turning to grease all sides of the dough. Cover with a damp clean dishtowel and let rise until it doubles its size, about 1 to 2 hours.

Punch down the dough with fist and knead for a minute or so to work out the air. Pat dough into a square and roll into a log, place into a bread pan and let rise in a warm oven for 30-40 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven (350) for 35 minutes.

If you want a soft crust; brush loaf with melted butter half way through cooking time and again when bread is done.

If you want a honey wheat loaf you can substitute half of the white flour for wheat and replace the sugar with honey. You can also replace the oil with butter. You can play with the ingredients to make a custom loaf. If you have a bread machine follow these instructions:

Proof the yeast by adding the warm water, sugar and yeast in your bread machine pan for 10 minutes then add all the remaining ingredients. Set on dough setting. When machine is done take out dough and pat into a square and roll into a log, place into a bread pan and let rise in a warm oven for 30-40 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven (350) for 35 minutes. If you want a soft crust; brush loaf with melted butter half way through cooking time and again when bread is done. 

Note: You could just follow the first part of the directions and cook bread in your bread machine but I don't think the bread is as light and soft as in could be if you cooked it in the oven :)

French Bread

Ingredients for 1 1/2 pound loaf:

1 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions for bread machine:

Place all ingredients into bread pan select dough setting and start. When machine stops shape dough into long baguette of 6 french rolls. Dust top with a little flour; rub it in. Place loaf on a cookie sheet dusted with cornmeal. Slash the tops of the rolls or baguette about 1/2 inch deep. Cover and let rise in warm area for 30 to 45 minutes until doubled.

Place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack in oven. (this is for a crisp crust)  Preheat oven to 450 and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Garlic and Herb Monkey Bread

 For the Bread Machine.........

Ingredients for dough:

1/2 Cup water

1/2 Cup Sour cream

3 Cups all propose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon Butter

3 tablespoon Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Garlic and Herb mix:

4 tablespoons melted butter

2 minced garlic cloves

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon marjoram

*Note: If you don't have fresh herbs use 1/4 teaspoons of dried herbs....

Directions:

Add all dough ingredients to bread machine and put on dough setting. When finished turn dough out on to  a lightly floured counter top. Roll dough into a 2 foot rope.

In a bowl combine melted butter garlic and herbs.

Cut dough into 40 small pieces, then dip each piece in the herb and butter mixture.

Layer pieces into a buttered 9 inch round pan. Let rise in a warm oven for 30 to 45 minutes until doubled.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until brown.

Pita Bread

For a 1 1/2 pound batch.

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cup water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbs oil

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the bread pan and select the dough setting for your machine.

When dough is done turn it out to a lightly floured counter top. Roll out to a 12 inch rope then divide into 8 pieces. Roll each out into a smooth ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 7 inch circle. Set aside on a lightly floured counter top and keep in covered with a towel. Let them rise for about 30 minutes.

Place rack to the middle of oven. Preheat to 500. Place 3 pitas on a wire cake rack then place directly on oven rack. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and tops are beginning to brown. Remove from oven and cover with a damp kitchen towel until soft. Store in a zip-lock bag in the fridge.

Sweet Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

2 tbs butter

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 salt

3 cups bread flour

2 1/2 tsp dry yeast

Directions:

Warm the milk to about 110 degrees then add the sugar and the yeast don't mix, let sit for about 15 min.

In a large bowl mix dry ingredients. Make a well in the flour mixture and then add the wet ingredients. The dough will be very sticky.

After mixing, cover and let it sit in the bowl to rise 1-2 hours. Punch down then put into a round cake pan to rise again. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup tap water

1 large egg

3 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

3 tbs sugar

6 tbs butter

2 tbs dry milk

2 1/2 tsp dry yeast

1 large egg beaten for brushing on top.

Directions:

Throw all ingredients into bread pan in the same order there layed out. According to your machine directions put in on the dough setting.

When beeper goes off place dough on a board and squeeze out the gas.

Divide into 20 or so balls. Cover with a damp washcloths and let sit for 20 minutes.

Roll out ball into a wedge shape. Starting with the widest side, roll up the wedge loosely towards the point.

Place on a greased baking pan with the point downward. Spray with water lightly. Let rise until almost double in size, about 30 or 40 minutes.

Brush rolls with the beaten egg and bake in a 350 oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.