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Farm Kitchen:  Should I buy a bread machine?  |
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 09:19:50 AM
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Hi! I love to make bread and have been thinking about getting a bread machine (they seem to be fairly cheap at Walmart!) Is it worth having if we like fresh bread a few times a week (I work full-time as a teacher and then part time at a learning center). If I had the machine, maybe I would make it during the week too. What do you think? Do you use yours?
Thanks for helping me decide!!
XXOO Sheryl-lyn |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 09:30:56 AM
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I don't use mine, although I liked it well enough. It didn't make enough bread, the loaf was round, and I was annoyed by that little paddle in the bottom leaving a mark. And then I stupidly gave my instructions to an acquaintance who had lost hers, and then we lost touch. I haven't had them for years.
I do make my own with my KitchenAid mixer. Is it something you could do on weekends? If I couldn't do it like that anymore, I'd go get one of those that makes a big rectangular loaf. To me, there's just about nothing you can buy that's as good as your own home baked bread, made exactly as you like it.
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happymama58
True Blue Farmgirl
1210 Posts
Patti
Missouri
USA
1210 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 10:14:14 AM
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I have a breadmaker, but I spent a few extra bucks and got the one that made regular-shaped loaves with the option of 2 sizes and quite a few other options, some of which I used and some I doubt I ever will. The bread is fantastic, and I made bread about once a week until we moved into the camper while we built our house. I'm looking forward to getting mine back out of storage.
That said, I've thought long & hard about getting rid of it. I wonder if I'd enjoy making homemade bread for scratch, but then I think it's another one of those things I think I'd like but would probably not do very often because of the time factor. Ultimately, I'm fairly sure I'll keep using my bread machine but make from scratch when I get the urge.
By the way, I bought mine new at the store, but my sister-in-law bought hers at a garage sale. I've seen my model at 2 or 3 garage sales, in great shape, for around $8 or $10.
Some people search for happiness; others create it.
http://happymama58.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Please visit me at www.marykay.com/pmiinch |
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Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 10:15:20 AM
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The best thing about a breadmaker for me is that you can program it and the smell from fresh baked cinnamon or apple bread wakes you up in the morning.
I do use my breadmaker and I also make bread by hand. If you do decide to get the breadmaker, make sure is it a heavy duty machine that can handle whole wheat flour handily. If you decide to use the whole wheat flour, it is heavier than white and can bog down a regular breadmaker..
Blessed are those who love the soil,
Patsy
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ArmyWifey
True Blue Farmgirl
712 Posts
Holly
Abilene
KS
712 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 10:36:50 AM
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I wound up getting rid of mine, not so much because I didn't use it but because of the capacity. With 6 people in the family one loaf just wasn't enough and didn't last long. I found it easier to make my own and do 4 loaves at a time (or more).
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
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babs
True Blue Farmgirl
226 Posts
Babette
MN
USA
226 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 10:51:29 AM
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My mother gave me one a few years ago. It did well collecting dust. I didn't like the hole it left in the bottom from the paddle and it makes a weird square loaf.
HOWEVER - I am totally in love with it now! I like the fact that I can dump in ingredients and then just push the dough cycle button. It kneads the bread for 30 min. Then I take it out and let it rest and rise on a baking sheet and toss it in the oven.
I'm one of those people who can not knead bread. I always over work it. So the bread machine has been awesome and every loaf now is perfect. :)
Babs |
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KarenP
True Blue Farmgirl
666 Posts
Karen
Chippewa Falls
Wisconsin
USA
666 Posts |
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 11:48:46 AM
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I will definitely try the bread Rebekah wrote about. I saw it there last week and said I'd have to try it. It looked so nice too. I really appreciate your opinions since I am probably like most of you and would feel the same way about the machine as you all do. I love the idea of the bread cooking and making the house smell good in the morning.
Don't some of the machines do everything, including the cooking of the bread, in one machine? I am not sure, and wonder what you all know.
XXOO Sheryl-lyn |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 12:46:02 PM
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Sheryl-lyn -- all bread machines will do everything including cooking. I had one and finally got rid of it. Decided that I enjoyed the process of making bread by hand so much more. I think it's a personal thing.
The Rustic Cottage Etsy Shop http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands -Proverbs 31:13
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 1:25:50 PM
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| Thank you all for your help. I am like Kay and the rest of you in that I enjoy the hands-on part of bread making. I guess that's why I buy fabric, cut it into a million pieces and then sew it all back together again :) Making bread on a weekend is a nice way to relax, but I was thinking that if I wanted it all week, where I could control the ingredients, maybe a bread maker was the way to go. Are there any brands that are better than others? |
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Bridge
True Blue Farmgirl
814 Posts
Bridgette
Southern
Indiana
USA
814 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 4:41:45 PM
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I liked mine for a while, but it is now in the stack of yard sale items. It takes up so much space, I don't like the shape and paddle marks. I just decided I prefer it made by hand!!
~~Bridge's Boutique~~
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2007 : 8:04:46 PM
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I was worried that I would also get one and once the novelty wore off it would collect dust here too. Keeping the idea of living simply in mind, I think I will probably just try the bread Rebekah sent pictures of and on weekends make the other kind I usually make. Glad I did not spend the money or make the room for one yet.
Maybe if I see one at a yard sale, then I would be willing to spend for it, but I won't bother to get a new one right now.
You have all helped me make up my mind! Thanks!
XXOO Sheryl-lyn
I cannot believe that I am back to work tomorrow. Will miss my husband (recovering from a hernia surgery), my daughter and the house. Oh well.... |
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LauraH
True Blue Farmgirl
305 Posts
Laura
North Creek
New York
USA
305 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 5:33:24 PM
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I just received a new bread machine from my husband for a christmas present. I killed my last one using it too much. I love it. I can put all natural ingredients in it & press a button & continue on with my day.. kids, tending garden & animals.. a time saver. I did receive the one with a horizontal shape & it has 2 blades. it rises the bread dough 3 times which always comes out great!
LauraH
if you are not sure I would check out garage sales first for less expensive ones.. just make sure they still have there directions! |
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 6:09:30 PM
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Hi Laura: Thanks for the info! What kind of machine do you have? I'd be interested in taking a look at that one if you use it so much.
Sheryl-lyn |
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OregonGal
True Blue Farmgirl
511 Posts
Chris
No. IL
USA
511 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 7:04:29 PM
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| I use mine all the time too - there's just two of us here, so I make like 2 loaves a week is all. But we prefer the homemade bread to anything you can get at the store. I just use a simple white bread recipe and add dried minced/chopped onions to it for some flavor - boy is it good! I like it toasted and when we have spaghetti, I toast some slices, rub garlic on them, then cut them into quarters - there may be spaghetti left over, but never is any of the garlic bread left over! I think it just takes time to get used to eating that kind of bread cuz its not like soft store-bought bread. And another thing, I don't like the crust hard - so as soon as I take it out of the bread machine, I put it in a plastic bag and close it up to keep the moisture in - tho keep in mind if you do that, you have to leave some air in the bag until it cools because it does create a vacumn in the bag. When its cool, I exhaust the air and let the condensation that has collected on the sides of the bag be reabsorbed back into the bread, and that makes the crust nice and soft. Yummy. |
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shepherdess
True Blue Farmgirl
359 Posts
Robin
Eatonville
Washington
USA
359 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 11:43:15 PM
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I think Bread machines are a waste of time and energy. To me the bread doesn't taste like home made bread. I never got a decent loaf of bread ever from mine and finally got rid of it.
Now do you want to know how I really feel, LOL
Farm Girl from Western Washington
" From sheep to handspun."
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2007 : 07:38:26 AM
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What fun reading all these posts on bread machines...I just had one handed down from my Dad who was on a bread-baking binge a few years ago. His complaint and reason for getting rid of it was that he and my mom were gaining too much weigth eating all the great bread he was making!
So...last week I bought a bag of King Arthur bread flour, and will tackle a recipe or two to see how DH and I will like it...although my parent's complaint about excess weight gain could be a risk for us too. Hmmm...bread machine lite??? haha
Jo
"There are no strangers here, only friends you've yet to meet." |
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2007 : 09:05:33 AM
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You know, my grandma got rid of hers because she was getting fat from all that bread too. That could most definitely be a problem here as well. I apparently cannot do carbs in moderation!
Chris, you have made the whole thing sound so yummy to me. Thanks for the great recipe ideas. Maybe this weekend will be the deciding point and I will either be hammering it out by hand, trying the recipe Rebekah recommended (thanks Karen for the link to it!) or using a bread machine. If I make the no-knead bread, I will have to get a proper pot for it since I do not have one the right size that can go into the oven.
I am supposed to pay bills this weekend with my paycheck, but when bread or fabric are concerned, some things will have to wait. Who needs cable or lights anyway!
Sheryl-lyn |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2007 : 10:09:27 AM
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I love my bread machine because I grew up with homemade bread and did not have a piece of Wonder bread until I went to a girl friends house and could not get over how even the bread was cut. I did not tell her mom that I thought the bread was horrible in taste and I told my mother what a weird cook my friends mom was. We do not eat a ton of bread in this house but I want to have organic fresh items in my bread so that is why I make my own. I get to have wonderful breads and not the time involved - I would rather be kissing on one of my goats, playing with my pry's or spinning. It is also nice to play with different recipes and know that they will turn out. What ever you decide will be right for you - I just know that after shoveling snow for the past seven days it was great to come in and have homemade bread from my machine and hot soup from my crock pot. Stay warm and happy baking.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com |
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2007 : 1:15:40 PM
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Thank you Grace! How are you guys doing with all that snow? How much did you end up having?
Here on Long Island we have had such warm weather that it seems like spring instead of winter.
Wish I was there to shovel with you! Thanks for the advice.
Sheryl-lyn |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2007 : 10:11:54 AM
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Hi Sheryl-lyn
I wish you were here too! It is hard to say on our front deck where the wind could not whip it is measured almost 4 feet however we live with wind and our drifts are around 9 feet. We had in our front driveway snow that was almost five feet. We just have gotten 3/4 of the driveway shoveled but we are expecting another storm in tonight. As I stated I would rather have the snow then evactuate with fires again this summer. There is a sign I have in my kitchen that states "The planet bats last", Alot of people ask me about it and when we talk it thru they get it. Stay warm and I have a sweet raisin bread in the machine as I type.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com |
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cathy jane
Farmgirl in Training
28 Posts
Cathy
Cynthiana
Kentucky
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2007 : 7:16:12 PM
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How fun to read the "fors" and "not fors" regarding bread machines!
I now own my third machine - I wore the other 2 out over an 8 or 9 year span of time! I absolutely LOVE homemade bread, but I have a very bad right shoulder, and a rather bummed up right hand, too. So, by the time I roll out a simple batch of biscuits, I am hurting. So, in comes my terrific bread machine helper. It mixes, kneads and rises my dough. I simply take it out, and shape as I want it, then let it rise again and bake!
I think a lot of the problem with bread machine bread is that the recipes are bland. I experimented for weeks getting just the right ratio of ingredients to make the loaf we love. Here it is:
Place in the bottom of the pan - 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 stick butter, and for the needed 1 and 1/2 cups liquid, put 1 egg in your measuring cup, fill with milk to the 1 cup line, and then to the 1 and 1/2 cup line with water. Place 4 level cups of good unbleached bread flour (I use King Arthur's) on top, and then 1 heaping tsp of yeast on top of that. Use the dough cycle - mine takes 1 and 1/2 hours. Then the smooth dough is ready to shape as wanted. I usually do one loaf of bread with 1/2 the dough, and make dinner rolls with the other half. Sometimes, I use garlic salt in place of regular salt, and make garlic-parmesan pull apart bread by rolling the dough into small balls - the grandkids love to help with this part - and dropping them into a grease bundt pan, then sprinkling the top with grated parmesan cheese. Great with spaghetti or lasagne. I always brush the tops of my fresh-baked breads with melted butter. I have even made cinnamon rolls with the dough - I like to add an extra egg, and not use any water when making these rich treats. (If your machine calls for a different amount of flour, just adjust the amounts of the other ingredients accordingly. We don't like the end product using powdered milk as called for in most bread machine recipes.)
My bread machine enables my family to enjoy homemade breads, and I do truly love it! By the way, I keep it just inside the laundryroom door on the table with my food dehydrator, which is right next to the kitchen. Here it is easily accessible - a must for me to want to use something regularly, and it isn't taking up valuable kitchen counter space. Plus, it is rather noisy!
I really like knowing that I NEVER have to worry about the grocery boy breaking my eggs, or smashing my bread - because I don't ever buy either at the grocery! A little independence in this crazy world!
cathy jane
"Treat everyone you meet today as if they are wearing a sign that says MAKE ME FEEL SPECIAL!" Mary Kay Ash |
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Sweet Harvest Homestead
True Blue Farmgirl
279 Posts
Lindy
Stanfield
NC
USA
279 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2007 : 8:37:41 PM
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Hey Sheryl-lyn,
I have been grinding my own wheat and baking my bread for a while now. I am sad to say that I can't make a good loaf of bread by hand. I bought a cadillac of a bread machine, a zojiroushi. Don't even know if that is how you spell it.
Anyway, I probably paid too much for it but now my family enjoys fresh bread every other day. If I did not have it, we would have to eat the store bought stuff.
Lindy
I need one of you "hands on" farmgirls to teach me how to make it good by hand.
Lindy
www.sweetharvesthomestead.typepad.com |
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2007 : 3:36:58 PM
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Cathy Jane: Thank you for the great recipe! I am still in the process of deciding on getting one or not, but I think I will probably buy one in a week or so. I will probably put it in my mud room right by the kitchen. Thanks for that idea too.
I raise chickens myself, so the egg and bread issues are homegrown too. My hens are pretty old now (only 2 of them are left) and they do not lay during the winter. Guess I cannot blame them!
Lindy: I think you guys have made me realize that even if I still made bread the old way once in a while when I have time, it will be nice to have it more often. So, I will check around for one and have it soon. I am so excited about that smell every few days!
Thank you all for the great input on either side! It does help to hear it all.
XX00Sheryl-lyn |
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Ronna
True Blue Farmgirl
1891 Posts
Ronna
Fernley
NV
USA
1891 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2007 : 8:17:40 PM
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Bread machines are great for mixing and kneading dough, but not so great when it comes to baking. I've baked bread going back more than 40 years. I still think the best machine is a Zo (Zojurishi), though you can buy cheap ones at Walmart. I loved to knead the dough, but can't due to a shoulder area injury that's led to two surgeries. If you let the machine do the hard work and shape and bake yourself, you'll have the best of both. Each brand has it's own quirks, but the ideal dough in a machine has the look and feel of a baby's behind. If it's too sticky or ragged, you know it needs a bit (teaspoon at a time) more water or flour. I learned to bake bread from my future MIL when I was 8 and she never bought bread until she was in her 80's, so had lots of experience to share with me.
Ronna |
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BlueApple
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Julia
Oregon
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2007 : 8:32:51 PM
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I love my machine! It's a Hitachi - I don't think they even make them anymore. But the one thing I don't do is bake the loaf in the machine. I use only the dough cycle and after it rises, punch it down, shape, put into a pan and let rise again for 30 minutes then bake. It does all the work for me but is so much better baked in the oven.
Julia
BlueApple Farm
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/BlueAppleFarm/ |
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Farm Kitchen: Should I buy a bread machine? |
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Should I buy a bread machine?
