Easy & Versatile No-Breadmaker Bread Recipe

Anyone who knows me knows that I hate following recipes.

On my hunt to find easy everyday recipes, I came across Under A Tin Roof blog and they share a good variety on their blog. Easy enough to pick up and remember too, so my nightmare of recipe-following can easily disappear again.

I'm trying to replace store bought premade items. So even though sliced bread was the greatest thing of all time...Seemed like a good way to knock out known preservatives. On another plus side, it's a way to sneak in some extra goodness without some picky eaters knowing it.

First Batch

I'll tell you about my experience. My first batch didn't go well. I didn't let the yeast sit long enough, which resulted in a not-so proofed loaf of bread. It was also 12-grain so it might of made it heavier on top of that. It was good but just very dense (yes, I still ate it!)

Second Batch

My second batch went much better. I was planning to make white bread but because I still had another loaf of sliced bread in the freezer, I decided to see what 1 cup of 12-grains flour with 3 cups regular white flour would look like, and if I could fool some picky eaters with it. The bread proofed beautifully, and the bread is mostly white with a few grains in it. It could have also cooked a bit longer, and next time I think I might score it for a little touch of fancy.

Nevertheless, I made this recipe twice and can list it off by-heart. It's so easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup of warm water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tbsp yeast

• 3 - 4 cups all purpose flour

• 1 ½ tsp salt

• 1 ½ tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, pour the sugar and the yeast.

2. Pour the warm water in your mixing bowl, over the sugar and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until the yeast is nice and fluffy/bubbly.

3. Once the yeast is ready, pour the flour slowly in your mixing bowl with a dough hook. Pour 1 cup at a time as it mixes on medium speed.

4. Pour in the salt and olive oil as everything mixes.

5. Continue mixing until dough is together, wet but sticky.

6. Grease a new bowl and place your dough in it. Cover with a towel and place in a warm area for 30 mins. This will let the dough rise.

7. Take your proofed dough and place in on the counter, flattening it out a bit and making a "rectangle".

8. Roll the dough and tuck in the sides.

9. Grease the bread pan that you'll be baking your bread in. Place your rolled dough in the bread pan, cover with a towel and let it rise again for 30 minutes.

10. Turn on your oven to 350 Fahrenheit while your dough proofs some more.

If you want a nice shiny and crunchy crust, brush some egg wash on top of the loaf BEFORE putting it in the oven, and place a tray with 1 inch of water on the rack below your bread. ( I used to work at Subway and this is also how they do it.)

Bake for 20-25 mins until your bread is a lovely golden brown!

To make this recipe even more exciting, try different combinations to explore with your bread - herbs and cheese, onions, honey, and other grains will definitely keep this recipe exciting.

Let me know the creative combinations you come up with!

Happy Baking 😄