My Bread Recipe

I never expected, when the pandemic began to take hold in the US, that bread-baking would become a major American pastime. Maybe this was short-sighted of me, because when people are spending more time at home, this potentially makes it easier to engage in baking projects. On the other hand, lots of people are simultaneously working from home and trying to home-school their kids, or are working stressful hours at essential jobs where they may be exposed to coronavirus, and so may not feel up to embarking on intensive baking.

Well, had I realized this frenzy of baking was about to occur, I would have bought yeast, because I'm one of those people who bakes bread even in normal times, and I was about due for a new jar of yeast!

Not that I bake lots and lots of bread--I'm not someone who eats bread every day. But I certainly average at least a loaf a month, and probably more than that--sometimes I make bread very regularly and sometimes I go for a month or two without baking any. I use an easy bread-machine recipe developed by my sibling, which produces a dense, compact loaf suitable for one or two people (or for more people to eat it up more quickly).

This recipe was developed for the Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini machine and takes about 15 minutes to put together, then three hours to bake.

Add the ingredients in the order listed (well, basically wet to dry, yeast must be last) in the bread machine's baking pan.

1 cup water (if substituting yogurt for dry milk, put 2 T yogurt in your cup measure first, then add enough water to bring it to 1 cup)
2 T oil (I normally use olive oil)
2 cups whole wheat flour (or add in some rye flour for rye bread)
2 T honey, molasses, or sugar
1/4 cup (4 T) other whole-grain flour(s) such as flax-seed meal, buckwheat, rye, spelt (I usually use one T of each of those); other options are teff, oatmeal, corn meal, amaranth; don't use 1/4 cup of potato flour--always try a new flour with just 1 T
2 T dry milk unless substituting yogurt
1 t salt
6 T nuts and seeds (whatever strikes your fancy)
Optional: 1 T herbs of your choice
1 t dry-active yeast
Optional: 1/4 cup of dried fruit (add when the first timer rings)

Once the ingredients are in place, plug in the bread machine and press the "Mode Select" button twice to choose the "Soft Course" option (3 hours). Then press the Start/Reset button. With this recipe, it is best to scrape down the sides of the baking pan when the first timer rings (or a little before).

When the second timer rings, the bread is finished. Press and hold the start/reset button until the machine beeps; then unplug the machine. Be very careful removing the bread from the baking pan--it's very hot and easy to burn yourself even with hot-pad holders in each hand! The wire handle in particular is hot! Let bread cool, ideally on a wire rack, for about 15 minutes before serving.

Boursin cheese pairs well with this bread!