I’ve been baking bread since soon after Art and I got married. The in-laws and my parents went in on a KitchenAid mixer for our first married Christmas and I just kind of went bread crazy. I made my own sourdough starter and baked wheat bread, white bread, challah, communion bread, whatever recipe I could get my hands on.
Then came the kids and my breadmaking took a backburner for awhile. I didn’t have the time to be up to my elbows in kneaded dough with two small children and their myriad “emergencies”. I was so happy when Art bought me a breadmaker for my birthday one year. I started up again with pizza dough, pretzel dough, banana nut bread, plus all my old favorites. I even created my own recipe about ten years ago which my family just loves. We call it cheesy herb bread. I thought you might enjoy it too.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups very warm water (I use the hottest setting on the tap – you don’t want it to be too hot or you will kill the yeast)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Italian seasoning herb blend
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded Mexican 4 cheese blend
Directions:
Mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar and yeast by hand in the breadmaker bread pan. Add warm water. Beat with a wire whisk for 1 minute, scraping the bowl frequently. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand for about 1 hour or until bubbly.
Add oil, Italian seasoning, salt and cheese. Set breadmaker to Basic, 2 lb., Medium or similar setting on your machine. Wait until the timer goes off (about 3 1/2 hours)
Enjoy!!!
As you can see, my loaf fell a little. I had better luck when I decreased the amount of yeast slightly for the next batch. Depending on your altitude, humidity, etc. you may have to experiment a bit.
I love to bake bread. It is one of my passions. I have this fab Roseville pottery bowl that my grandpa bought off of a man in a wagon in the 1940’s that I use for my bread. To keep true to form I use my granpas bread recipe and it is like I am baking with him.
Love your story, Sara!! That is so sweet!! Would it be giving away a family secret to share your grandpa’s recipe?
Wow looks so good. I will have to make this son as it is something even my son might eat. Thanks for stopping by MommiesPOV.com and linking up. I will have it up next
Monday so Please stop back by.