If I have a weakness in the kitchen (OK, if I have to narrow it to one), it's bread. The thought of fresh bread in the oven makes my mouth water. Add some soft real butter and I'm in another world!
With the availability of heavy-duty mixers, baking your own bread is a snap. Even if you don't have one of these mixers, making bread is not as difficult as you may think. Rapid- rise yeast will cut the time in half -- simply make the bread dough and let it rise in the pans. Kneading bread dough is a great tension release (and a good workout for your arms!). I also preheat my oven to the "warm" setting (the lowest temperature) while I'm preparing the dough. I put the bread loaves in to rise -- remember turn off the oven when you do this! It's a great way to ensure that your bread dough doesn't get drafted, which can kill the yeast and make for a very flat loaf.
Some of these recipes require you to mix the yeast and sugar in a measured amount of warm water. Purchasing a kitchen thermometer is a great investment for this. If the water is too hot or too cold, the yeast dies, which means you'll end up with a mess. And, the thermometer will also come in handy when you are trying to decide if meats like chicken or beef are cooked to the right temperature.
You will find links to the recipes, along with some helpful hints and ideas, below.
Enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
Cinnamon Swirl Loaf
Herbed Pizza Crust
