Hey ladies, how are you? We meet again! I’m finally settling into my home here and feeling somewhat organized. I say somewhat because the kids start school in a week and I still haven’t created a backpack station…talk about living on the edge..lol.
So ever since I won my Kitchenaid Mixer from Pioneer Woman last year I’ve been wanting to make bread with it. But I haven’t because I’m completely intimidated by the thought of it all. I’ve never ever made homemade bread any other way than with the help of a bread machine (please tell me I’m not the only one) and as those of you who have been around here for awhile know, I don’t exactly have the best track record in the kitchen. If you are new to my site, let me introduce you to one of my cooking nightmares, so painful. Anyway all that to say I need counseling help. If you happen to have a tutorial on your site about making bread can you leave a link for me in the comments. Or, you know, if you’d like to come on over and just walk me through the steps in person that would be even better 🙂 Okay that one might be logistically challenging so how about a video guide? I’m a visual girl that needs more help than you could ever imagine a teeny tiny bit of hand holding. Anyone? Anyone?
All the recipes I tried last week were absolutely delicious. Oh my goodness, yum! We really enjoyed the Pizza Roll Up Burritos, such a fun change to traditional pizza. The Minestrone Soup was also yummy and pretty easy to throw together and my daughter was nice enough to whip up some yummy baking powder biscuits to go with it.
I’ve heard from many people how organizing coupons can be quite the challenge. Well this week I’m going to send you over to visit From the Same Nest to read their most excellent tutorial on creating a coupon binder. Love it!
So here’s what we’ll be eating this week:
Monday: Quick Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Tuesday: Italian Breaded Baked Parmesan Pork Chops (found at Lamp Unto My Feet)
Wednesday: Sherri’s Aussie Chicken (missed from last week)
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Hawaiian Meatloaf
Saturday: Breakfast for dinner ~ Applesauce Pancakes
Sunday: Pizza Quesadillas
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU THIS WEEK?
Everyone is welcome to participate! Menu planning has been such a lifesaver for me and I hope it is/will be for you as well. Give it a try!
Menu Plan Monday guidelines and banner selections are here.
Alicia's Homemaking says
Sounds like a good week!! 🙂 Thanks for hosting.
laura @ no more spending says
I’m about to go down the bread making route, I’ll be honest it scares me!
Good luck with yours 🙂
The Happy Housewife says
Ohhhh!!! Bread is my speciality! We make it all the time! It is really quite simple once you get the hang of it. I have included a few links below to get you started!.
http://thehappyhousewife.com/whole-wheat-bread/
http://thehappyhousewife.com/whole-wheat-baking/
http://thehappyhousewife.com/beautiful-bread/
Happy baking!
Toni
Liz@HoosierHomemade says
Another great week! I’ve never made bread that way, I just usually use my bread machine. Looking forward to hearing how it turns out.
Thanks so much for hosting another great MPM!
~Liz
Alicia's Homemaking says
Laura, I have a bread tutorial (with pictures!) here: http://www.aliciashomemaking.com/2010/05/delicious-honey-wheat-bread.html
This bread has never failed me (and I was no expert bread-maker before I made it!).
Alicia
SnoWhite says
Those recipes you have picked out for the week look wonderful; and I must say, I LOVE Sherri’s Aussie Chicken!!
I use my kitchen aid to knead dough all the time. My favorite recipe, and an easy one to start out with is: http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/05/100-whole-wheat-rolls.html.
Simply put the water and yeast in the bowl to proof; then add in the sweet and salty ingredients. Then, add in the flour. Knead using the dough hook for 3-5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It’s really that easy. Hope you give your Kitchen-Aid a try!
Megan says
Mmmm, applesauce pancakes – gotta love the breakfast for dinner nights!!
Katrina says
I can’t knead bread due to fibro but there are pretty good n0-knead
recipes out there.
For sandwich bread, I use white batter bread. It’s my favorite.
Cut down the salt and sugar by half and it comes out way more fluffy.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/batter-white-bread/detail.aspx
Also some no-knead dinner rolls. The recipe was in Finnish but it’s translated. These are good and only take an hour rising time.
http://ffmin.blogspot.com/2010/07/sampyla-no-knead-bread-rolls.html
Tiffany says
Have fun with the bread making. I love making bread but I do it by hand. I just like to work with the dough by hand instead of in the stand mixer. I can also do a lot more loaves if I do it by hand. I think my Kitchenaid will only do enough dough for about 2 loaves. By hand I can do 4-7 loaves, depending on the recipe.
Alea says
The Hawaiian Meatloaf sounds great! Off to look at the ingredient list and see what I need to add to my shopping list…
Phoebe @ GettingFreedom says
I love using my Kitchenaid to make bread! My bread machine broke on me just as soon as we had become addicted to homemade bread–so my Kitchenaid is all I use now.
Here is our favorite kind- 100% Whole Wheat: http://www.gettingfreedom.net/2009/05/100-whole-wheat-bread.html
Elizabeth L. says
I love making my own bread! I actually posted something yesterday about why I choose to make my own bread (http://theunemployedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-i-make-my-own-bread.html). I use a recipe I adapted from The Frugal Girl (http://theunemployedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/03/recipe-wheat-sandwich-bread.html). I don’t have a tutorial but Kristen over at The Frugal Girl has a great series of pictures of how she kneads. It’s how I learned to knead! I know you can knead in a stand mixer, but I find it more difficult than kneading by hand.
I think my directions are pretty straightforward, but my tip is not to let your liquids get to hot; you could very easily kill your yeast that way. I’ve created many messes by killing my yeast. I always err on the side of caution and heat my liquids about 5 degrees less than the recipe calls for.
Good luck!
Laura@HeavenlyHomemakers says
Here’s my tutorial: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/how-to-make-whole-wheat-bread-tutorial
Although since you have a wonderful Kitchen Aid, you can skip the kneading step because your KA will do that for you!!!
Jaime @ Like a Bubbling Brook says
Don’t be afraid of baking bread! It’s really not that hard, it tastes wonderful, and the aroma of freshly baked bread in your home can’t be beat 🙂
I have several bread recipes here: http://likeabubblingbrook.blogspot.com/p/resources-links.html
But, an easy recipe for bread is my authentic German pretzel bread; it begins in the bread machine, but ends up being shaped by hand and baked in the oven. It’s a good first recipe for moving away from bread machine bread! Here’s the link for it: http://likeabubblingbrook.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-make-authentic-pretzel-bread.html
Hope that helps!
Susie's Homemade says
I don’t know why but it won’t let me add my link. Here it is:
http://susieshomemade.blogspot.com/2010/08/pomodoro-sauce.html
Queen of the House says
Don’t fret about the lack of a backpack station! LOL! I have complete confidence that you will figure something out! (and then make sure to tell us about your solution, okay?!!!) 🙂
Paula says
I hope someone can help me. I can’t seem to make the link thingy work. My page is at http://fletchingtonfarms.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/menu-plan-monday-23-august-2010/
It seems to work other times, but not today.
Thanks
Paula
Wendy says
Can’t wait to see what everyone is making. Thanks!
DeputyHeadmistress says
I have two really easy recipes for making bread at my blog. Both are whole wheat, but if you don’t grind your own wheat you should cut them so they are half whole wheat and half white for better flavor (storebought whole wheat flour can have a bitter taste)
This one is a refrigerator dough recipe that my teen-agers have made:
refrigerator potato bread, the mashed potato makes it light, fluffy, slightly sweet, and moist.
This recipe makes rolls that are incredibly light, with a faint hint of sourdough flavor. You could probably use it for loaves, but I never have.
Oh, yeah, butterhorn rolls are also pretty easy (my younger teen daughters have made them successfully), and make a nice dinner roll, with a dough sweet enough that you can also roll, spread with butter, cinnamon, and sugar and use for cinnamon rolls.
Good luck, and keep trying!
Robin says
Your menu looks awesome! Thanks for hosting!
Michelle says
Here’s my favorite bread recipe – I’ve used a mixer for it before – but I usually make it by hand.
http://mylifethroughfood.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-favorite-bread-recipe.html
Rayven says
Just linked up for the first time! I can’t wait to see what everyone is cooking up.
Sheena says
Hawaiian Meatloaf sounds good! I am interested to hear what you think of it.
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
Well, just to give you a couple more to help (confuse?) you, here are my tried and true bread recipes- I make them weekly and haven’t needed to buy bread for my family for years. Both have step-by-step pictures:
http://www.anoregoncottage.com/2009/02/sandwich-bread-101.html
http://www.anoregoncottage.com/2009/03/easy-artisan-bread.html
Have fun!
FoodontheTable says
Good luck with bread! The Aussie chicken looks delicious.
Annie says
You move away from me and now you want to learn how to make bread…well I guess now I will for sure have to make a trek to visit!
Kristie says
I’m always inspired by your Menu Plans! While I was packing my daugther’s lunch last night I told her we needed to plan out what she wanted for the week (easier for me) 🙂 Then I thought how awesome to post a linky like you do for Menu Plan Monday, but call it School Lunch Sunday to share packed lunch plans! What do you all think?
Courtney(WomenLivingWell) says
Hooray! That’s my Hawaiian Meatloaf! I just got a text message from a friend who brought her baby home from the hospital yesterday – she requested the Hawaiian meatloaf! It’s the best!!!
Thanks for the linky love!!!
Courtney
Deb says
You should check out The Frugal Girl’s Wednesday Baking posts. She has great recipes and posts LOTS of photos showing all the steps.
http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/
My kids LOVE her Oatmeal Cinnamon Swirl bread for breakfast toast.
Blessings on the journey~
Connie Weiss says
I’m looking forward to making some bread when it cools off a little bit!
angie says
homemade bread sounds wonderful I am not the one that makes our bread normally I will visit hometown bakeries and buy homemade bread I know I cheat a bit
Nicole McDevitt says
I can’t wait to get home and look at some of the links people are posting, I want to make bread too. There is a book called “Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day” that I’ve been meaning to check out from my library. It was a recommend from the Once a Month Mom. Maybe you’d be interested too?
~~Rhonda says
Don’t be afraid of making bread! It is so easy. Here’s a link to my blog with a bread tutorial. Just relax and dive in. Once you’ve made bread a time or two, you will see how easy it really is.
http://christmasnotebook.com/2009/02/10/baking-bread/
~~Rhonda 🙂
Lakeisha says
You can do it. I have learned to make bread with a bread machine or mixer. My first try was challah and it comes out great every time. My next attempt will be sandwich bread. The hardest part of making bread is waiting.
Ashley @ Just Another Mom of 2 says
I have been considering trying to make bread on and off for the past few months, but I always become intimidated! If you find a great tutorial, you must share (though I must confess, I am strongly considering just going for the breadmaker!).
Happy Monday, thanks for hosting!
Colleen P. says
Just like many of the other posters have said-making bread with the Kitchenaid is a breeze! Rose Levy’ Berenbaum’s book “The Bread Bible” will tell you anything you ever wanted to know and far more that you probably won’t care about, but it is the definitive book on making bread with a mixer, rather than with a bread machine.
It really is crazy easy-put semi-warm liquid in the bowl. Add yeast. Ignore for ten minutes. Add dry stuff, salt last. Put on 1 for a couple of minutes until everyone gets acquainted. Put on 4 for 7-10 minutes (and hold onto the handle of the bowl because it will walk itself right off the counter sometimes!), then put it in a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and wait for it to puff up. Seriously-forget about it for hours. You won’t hurt it. If it puffs out over the top-smack it down! Won’t hurt it at all! Once you’ve smacked it, shape it-this takes practice but even if it’s messy, it still tastes fine. Just kinda roll everything toward the bottom until the top is all smooth, and tuck it all in. Put it in a greased pan, let it rise again and bake it. The biggest hassle with bread baking is TIME-it takes much longer than you might think, especially outside of the humidity and temperature controlled environment of a bread machine. We’re talking in terms of hours rather than minutes. In winter it can take dough four hours or more for the first rise.
HTH!
Kay says
Want one more link to really stress you out over which is the best? lol
http://ayearinbread.earthandhearth.com/2007/09/beth-honey-wheatberry-bread.html
LOVE this bread. It looks complicated, but really it’s just mix, let rest, mix, let rise, punch down, etc..
One more hint, if you have an instant-read thermometer, bread is usually done baking when the center is around 190°. I despise doughy bread, so I test mine every time.
If you need help, I’m sure any one of us would welcome a text or email.
Can’t wait to see how yours turns out. It’ll be delicious that’s certain. 🙂
Ezzy says
If this makes you feel any better, I got my college degree in baking and I use my bread maker.
Gina says
Thanks for the link to the easy spaghetti sauce. We were cleaning out the pantry and found a TON of diced tomatoes. Very helpful! Thanks for hosting, and hope you have a great week!
a soldiers wife says
Looking forward to getting new menu ideas!
Cynthia says
You should check out Home Ec 101 http://www.home-ec101.com/ Heather has a breadmaking tutorial on there somewhere. I’ve seen it before. She’s also a whiz in the kitchen in case you have other kitchen disasters! 😉 Your two sites kind of pair up really well too!
Frugal Dr. Mom says
I learned to bake bread several years ago as a New Year’s resolution. I studied different recipes and came up with one that is easy to braid. I entered in last year’s state fair and it won a blue ribbon and best of show. I entered into my local county fair a couple of weeks ago and it won first place as well. It was the first time I had ever entered anything in both fairs. There is also a video on how to braid bread and pictures. Here is the post: http://frugaldrmom.blogspot.com/2009/08/braiding-bread-with-six-strands-and.html
Good luck!
Becky says
My favorite homemade bread recipe is even easier than those that I’ve used a bread machine or my Kitchen Aid mixer for. Only 4 ingredients. Here it is ….. http://savingbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2010/02/homemade-bread-so-easy.html
Quirky Cooking says
I love making bread, and I use my food processor (a Thermomix), and it’s so easy my 13 year old can do it on her own too! Here’s one of our favourite recipes for fancy rolls that are really easy: http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/01/spelt-bread-rolls.html
Have fun!
Kirstine Vergara says
I wish I can bake. =( I’m not very good with using the oven. I’m kinda afraid to turn it on so I let my helper turn it on for me. Anyway, here’s one of favorite dishes right now, Crock Pot: So East, So Tasty!
Hope you’ll like it!
Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) says
School started for us this week so I’m back to regular meal planning! We lost power last night so I couldn’t get my post up (yes, I did not schedule it ahead of time like I have before!) and I was having a bit of a panic with a freezer full of food. But all is good….power came back on after several hours. Whew!
Kristi @ Creative Kristi says
Oh bread is actually pretty easy! I use this tutorial (I actually started using it before she switched to the ‘soaked’ method so I don’t let it sit for 7 hours and I don’t add buttermilk)
http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2010/01/homemade-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread.html
Scrapping Servant says
I’m here after 3+ months of not planning 🙂 and 🙁
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
So glad you liked the pizza burritos!! Thank you for trying them!
Naomi says
I’ve just discovered the art of making bread in the past year or two. It’s really not very difficult! Here are links to two of our favourite recipes:
http://www.food.com/recipe/peasant-bread-262593
http://www.food.com/recipe/sesame-sunflower-poppy-flax-seed-buttermilk-bread-53336
I make 1 1/2 times the peasant bread recipe and bake it in two loaf tins so that the slices are more consistent in size.
Your Kitchen Aid can do all the work for you!
Darla says
Ok so….what about sides? That is my issue……