Cookbook Wednesday: Bread

In answer to Karin's musing about our temperatures, I've been baking bread.  Oh, cookies and brownies, too, but lots of bread.

Along about October, my bread machine decided it didn't like me any more, and was no longer going to function correctly.  Well, that was OK, because I only use it as a mixer anyway, and I do have a Kitchenaid.  But then, a couple of weeks ago, my dearly beloved wondered why I wasn't using the bread machine to knead my bread, and I reminded him that the bread machine had decided we were no longer friends.  So he ordered me to get a new one.  (And, really, who has trouble complying with an "order" such as that: buy yourself something!)

In honor of the new bread machine, this Cookbook Wednesday focuses on the biggest bread machine cookbook out there - and it's useful even if you don't have a bread machine!  It's Beth Hensperger's Bread Machine Cookbook!

The table of contents barely gives you an idea of the scope of this book.

You can see by my ribbons and whatnot that I have some favored recipes in this book.  To be fair, since I got it for Christmas in 2004, I've had time to try out a recipe or 2.

I like the fact that when a recipe calls for an odd ingredient, she gives you assistance in obtaining or creating it.  This description of sprouting wheat berries is an example.

She also has many things related to how you use your bread dough, such as this page about making pizza sauces and cooking pizza.  I read it eagerly, but usually buy my pizza sauce anyway.

Her recipes for jams are great, too.  Who knew a bread machine could be so versatile?  I think my dearly beloved needs this strawberry jam for his breakfast bread.

There are plenty of other goodies in here, too, including making spreads for breads, using stale breads, gluten free breads, creating your own bread recipes, and too much else to list.

If you want pictures, this is not the book for you, because there aren't any.  But that's OK with me, because my creations are never as pretty as the pictures.  Anyway, I probably need to spend more quality time reading and absorbing this book!

Once again, I'm hosting Cookbook Wednesday for the lovely and talented Louise from Months of Edible Celebrations!  She will likely be back next week, but if life is still overwhelming, I'll continue to carry the torch for her.

If you want to be added, leave me a comment, and I'll list you below.

Louise from Months of Edible Celebrations posted a booklet of Mexican recipes on Frozen Margharita Day.  I'm happy to list her as the first link!

Poppy's Surplus Recipes, including the delightful sounding Split Pea Bars and Bean Pudding Cake!  Poppy finds the humor in every cookbook. 

Debbie's Ground Beef Recipes with the bonus of her making meatballs for us!  Happy to have you join us, Debbie! 

Nellie's Breakfast Cookbook gives me more baking ideas!  It's a very well loved book, judging by her pictures.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!