Fill Your Freezer: Bread-Machine Sandwich Bread

The good news is -- my sink is still functional and not completely disassembled -- so I can wash some dishes today!!

I got a bread-machine for Christmas [from my mom].  I had been making bread "the old fashioned way" but I am way too impatient while it's rising.  I can throw ingredients in the bread-machine and go on with my day (I don't even have to be home!) and it kneads and rises all by itself.

At first, I was disappointed because the bread was dense and crumbly.  Then, I found this recipe at allrecipes.com that suggested a fix!!  Sandwich bread needs to be fluffier, which means it needs to rise longer.  This recipe calls for three rise cycles - but my machine only does two rise cycles (even on the "sandwich" setting).  So, after the first rise is over, I shut my machine off and start it over.  Works like a dream.

Here is my recipe~~

Ingredients: (this is the order my machine calls for)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup + 2 tablespoons water (1 & 1/8 cups)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 & 3/4 cups flour - I've used white bread flour, regular wheat flour, or a mix
2 & 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

However, I do it a little differently than what the machine says to do.  I add the sugar, yeast, and water first.  I let it sit until it gets foamy.

Then I add the other "wet" ingredients, then the other "dry" ingredients.  I set the machine for "Basic" on the "light" setting.  That setting takes 3 hours - and the second rise cycle starts 30 minutes into it.  My machine beeps when it starts the next cycle, I get a reminder if I forget about restarting the machine.

We don't eat bread too often, but often enough that we need to have some in the house.  I cut these loaves in half crosswise and freeze one-half.  I'm making 2 or 3 loaves (depending on how much flour I have on hand) to freeze for the next month.

And when my feet get tired, I set up a burrito filling station on a tray table in the living room... :-)

If you're interested in how I will use my {almost} fully stocked freezer during my postpartum weeks, make sure you subscribe!

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