I started making my own bread. I wanted a recipe that was 1) easy 2) "quick" aka very little hands-on time or time for the kids to get into things while I was busy in the kitchen. 3) cheap 4) healthy. That's a lot of job qualifications for a loaf of bread.
I came across a recipe and I make this *almost* daily. (about 5 times a week)
1 1/4 c warm water
1 t. sugar
1 pkt. yeast (or 2 1/4 t.)
1 T oil
1 1/2 t salt
3 c flour
Mix all ingredients together. Knead for 7-10 minutes. Put into greased loaf pan. Let rise 45 minutes. Bake at 425F for 30-35 minutes.
UPDATE: I have had a lot of complaints from the age 3-6 dept. on the "crispyness" of the crust. I found that letting it cook for about 25 minutes and wrapping it in a towel has made for a softer crust. And it still gets done.
I have a stand mixer with dough hooks that I use for this. I could knead by hand, but it's easier to just throw everything in the bowl, turn it on, set the timer, and get the kids going on breakfast. I don't even get my hands dirty. Goal 1: MET.
It takes approximately 2 minutes to get everything together and about a minute of my time with setting timers and transferring from bowl to pan and then to the oven and out. So, for hands on time, I'm clocking under 5 minutes. Goal 2: MET
I actually almost posted all the math involved in finding out exactly how much I pay per loaf, including how many teaspoons are in 25 lbs of sugar (which is 2,419.16, if you're interested). I decided for the sanity of anyone who may be reading this that I wouldn't do that. However if you are a number nerd like me, I would be glad to send it to you if you really want it. For the rest of the world, it costs about 76 cents per loaf. With 5 loaves per week and 4 weeks in a month I'm spending $15 per month as opposed to $40. So, I'm saving about $25 per month on BREAD ALONE!!!!! I ALWAYS keep these items on hand. ALWAYS. Goal 3: MET
Healthy. This seems a hard one to gauge. There are MANY tweaks that I have done to this recipe to make it more healthy. Some things are substituting 1 c of the flour for whole wheat. or using honey instead of sugar. I've changed the oil I use. I've used melted butter, coconut oil, pretty much any fat works although, I would recommend against hamburger fat. (It just doesn't taste right.) yuk! This recipe does not have any added preservatives, or corn syrup, or many other things. It ONLY has 1 teaspoon of sugar. That goes over well in my book. Goal 4: MET (for me anyway).
In all I think this recipe is a WINNER! I should, I make it almost everyday. It's easy, quick, cheap, healthy, and versatile. Try it, I think you'll like it.
