Bread Making

One of my favorite things to make is bread.  A few years ago Curt offered to buy me a bread maker, but I told him that'd take all the fun out of it!  Growing up, I watched my mom make Oatmeal bread.  I loved when she made it, the aroma of the yeast as the dough rose and then the mouth-watering smells wafting through the whole house as it baked.  I remember trying to help her mix the flour in and feeling like my arm would fall off! It wasn't easy to mix.  It's a heavier dough, and it makes such great toast!!!

When I make bread, I cheat.  I have a mixer I use to incorporate most of the flour, then I transfer it to my counter.  Then I knead the livin' daylights out of it.  That's the fun part!  Feeling the dough transform under my fingertips, the satisfaction of it taking shape.  Then baking it to a golden brown and so soft in the middle! YUM!   When my kids see me making bread, it usually means cinnamon rolls and they all like to get involved with that! Elliot with his muscles, likes to help roll it out, so does Abbi and we've had to rock/paper/scissors turns before for that part!  Esther loves to brush on the melted butter and  Ethan will try to inconspicuously lick the cinnamon and sugar off the counter til I catch him!

Both boys at younger ages have seen it rising on the counter and couldn't resist eating a raw one. Gross! That has only happened once with each. Elliot realized his mistake after the first bite and put it back in the pan, so when I checked on the rolls later, I saw a half moon shape missing out of the corner one.  He was only about 4 or 5 at the time.  Now, when the rolls are in the oven baking, I have at least two little faces peering through the glass door declaring every minute, "I think they're done now!"  Then we top them off with creamy cream cheese frosting... they don't last long in this house!  The smell of cinnamon seems to stay in the air for the rest of the day.

I also like to make dinner rolls for holidays and special occasions. These are Ethan's favorite to help with, and we eat those little golf ball size rolls with gusto.  He just beams with pride at his cheftism. (I think I just made up another word)  One of my favorite leftover meals  is a ham and cheese sandwich on a homemade dinner roll.  Or turkey, or beef, whatever the meat, the taste of fresh bread and butter makes it special (at least for me.)

Many times with spaghetti meals, lasagna or grilling, I like to make a quick french loaf of bread, that also doesn't last long, it's usually gone by the next meal.   The french bread also makes an excellent bread bowl for soups and chili.  I think the crunchiness of the crust is awesome for dipping in the soups and/or chili.

What ever the meal, fresh homemade bread just brings it up a notch, and adds to that warm fuzzy feeling with its aroma, and taste. A definate comfort food.  As you take the time and effort to make breads, sweet breads, or rolls, I just beg you to not use margarine.  Please, please use real butter.  Let the bread reach its true wonderful potential by using butter.

I love that my passion, baking, also builds fun memories with my kids.  I hope they pass the tradition on someday...  Now, it's the weekend and I'm off to  bake some awesome bread!