easy as stir, rise, bake!

Recently we’ve been seeing ads on TV for a new bread mix ‘now on your grocer’s shelves’. The ads looked very intriguing.

So…we bought one! And we got a very nice box – with a packet of active dry yeast,  a packet containing 1 tablespoon of sugar and, last but not least, a packet of no knead bread mix.  Okay, that’s simple. Read the back of the box – just add 1 cup of warm water.  Stir it all together, let it rise and bake it.  Easy. right? The price? Over FOUR DOLLARS!

Hold the phone!

Granted it was fast, easy and tasty. But that box was EXPENSIVE!

We bake bread around here all the time. The ingredients are simple – yeast, water, sugar, flour, salt and, if you want a richer loaf, some milk. Possibly some eggs.  The price per loaf?  About A DOLLAR! Maybe less…

So, after a little trial and error we came up with our own version of:

easy white bread

Preheat oven to 400° F.

In a measuring cup add
1/2 cup whole milk
1 Tablespoon butter
Heat together for 1 minute in the microwave
cool to baby bath warm

In another measuring cup
1/2 cup very warm tap water (baby bath warm,
or you’ll kill your yeast)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Stir together and let set 3 minutes.
The yeast is active when it begins to foam

In a medium bowl mix together:

2 1/4 cups all purpose unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon sugar (we use raw sugar)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Stir in the milk and yeast mixtures until a ball forms.

Place the ball of dough on a greased baking pan. Sprinkle the ball with a bit of flower and gently form it into a 6 inch round.

Cover and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 25 minutes.  It will rise but not double in size.

Place the pan in the preheated 400° oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

After 10 minutes or so serve warm with soup or cheese or just butter and honey. It’s easy.

It’s simple.

It’s good.

It’s inexpensive.

And most importantly – it’s fun!

“Don’t you wish there was a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence?
There’s one marked ‘Brightness,’ but it doesn’t work.” _Gallagher

Enjoy!