Watson House Bread

It has been almost one month since I bought a loaf of sliced bread. In that time, I have made too many loaves to count! It is amazing how simple it is to keep fresh, homemade bread in the house.

I use a bread machine. It allows me to start a loaf and then go about my day. No worrying about rising time or kneading. No heating up the oven (and house). No under or over cooked bread.

There are a couple of drawbacks to the bread machine, though. You do have to pay attention to the initial kneading cycle. Very often I have to add more liquid or scrape down the sides to ensure all the dry ingredients are properly mixed. The other issue I have is the hole left by the blade. It leaves a couple of slices in the middle of the loaf misshapen.

All-in-all, the bread machine makes my life a whole lot easier.

Our "house" bread is All-American Beer Bread. The recipe is from a Better Homes & Gardens cook book. It works great for sandwiches, toast or even as dinner bread.

All-American Beer Bread

(1 1/2 lb. loaf)

1 cup + 2 tablespoons beer (It's fun to experiment with different types!)

1 tablespoon butter

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup bread flour

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine in order suggested by manufacturer.

For my machine, it is liquids first, then dry, then yeast on top in a shallow hole.

I use the wheat setting, medium dark.

I let the bread cool uncovered, then store in a plastic bag. 1 loaf lasts us about 2 days.

Time - about 4 hours

Cost - Less than $2. (Depends on type of beer used.)