We always eat wheat bread. Lately, we also have been trying to buy foods with little or no preservatives, if possible. At the grocery store the other day, while walking down the frozen foods isle, I found a kind of wheat bread that does not have a lot of preservatives. I was very exited about my discovery, until I saw the price...$5 for a loaf of bread?! Seriously?!
I bought it anyway. I usually don't mind paying a little extra for higher quality foods, but to tell you the truth, the bread sucked. It was hard and it tasted like cardboard.
So I decided to make my own fresh wheat bread. I have gone down that road twice before, and it was a disaster both times! In my very first attempt, I gave up when I spilled flour all over myself. The second time, I almost burned the house down, and the final product looked more like a cement brick than a loaf of bread.
I'm awful at baking because I'm awful at following instructions. I'm also a "know-it-all", I always deviate from the original recipe because I think I know best.
So even with my long history of failure, I decided to try bread baking one more time. I dove head first into the adventure. I found a simple recipe I liked and I went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients. I got home, put the kids to nap, and started working. After 4 hours of beating, pinching, punching, and resting, the dough was ready to be baked. I sat there staring at the brown mushy blob of dough while the oven was pre-heating. I was so nervous. I did not want to mess it up this time.
I finally had the courage to put the dough in the oven, and 35 long minutes later, the master piece was ready!! My husband was so excited to come home to some fresh, preservative free, wheat bread that actually tasted good!! My kids loved it too!!
In a lot of ways, baking have been like going to a psychologist. It has helped me understand myself. I have slowly come to the realization that, just like in real life, I don't have to "know it all". I just have to be willing to step back, let a "recipe book" tell me what to do, and hope I don't burn the "bread" in the end!
By the way, I followed the recipe for wheat bread from the "Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book". This recipe does not require a "bread Machine". Total cost?! $10 for 8 loafs!!!!
4 comments:
That is a great blog! Maybe I'll try baking bread one day.
that looks so yummy! we used to make fresh bread when I was a kid, one of my favorite childhood memories! I am going to try this!
Frency it looks yummy! Can't wait to try it :)
Frency, I'm so inspired :) And I'm excited to follow your blog!
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