Homemade bread

I don't know what made me want to do it, but I found myself just itching to make bread today. Which is really abnormal for me since I've never really made bread before. Sure, quick breads, buiscuts, muffins, Irish Soda Bread (which I undercooked) and even tortillas (which bombed so bad I swore lifelong allegiance to Tia Rosa right after that), but never yeasty, kneady, punchy, risey bread. At least not that I can remember. Oh WAIT! Bread machine bread. I've made that. Remember those contraptions circa 1995? That craze stood the test of time, huh?

I think it's because it's fall. I love fall. Fall makes me dreamy. And each year about this time I have a growing urge to bake. Since summer puts us on a sort of baking hiatus, I suddenly have 16 recipes I want to bake in one weeks time. Apple crisp, sausage breakfast casserole, chocolate chip cookies, butterscotch pumpkin muffins, herby omelette bake, and this year, bread.

I've had this recipe for beginner's bread sitting in my cookbook binder for years now and today was the day I finally decided to make it with my girls.

Here are the girls...ahem...with Ian, who had just ran lickety split across the kitchen to get in on the shot. Sneaky boy!

Hannah reading the recipe.

I have no idea where she got so buff. She came out of the womb with chiseled biceps. I think it was a mutant gene.

Emma working the dough.

See ya in 2 hours!

It's risen!

Hannah had the fun of punching out the air and kneeding it again for a minute or so.

Whas dat Nana?

Think we should have used a hairnet?

After this it went into the pan to spend more time rising, then into the oven.

DONE!

We were all so excited about this bread! It came out perfect!

Emma thinks we should make a loaf every day.

Ha. ha.