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We mentioned that we are working towards becoming more self reliant. As part of the process, we have been baking more bread at home. I find that it’s difficult for me to stop in the middle of the day and get all necessary ingredients so I can make a loaf of bread in my bread machine. I have come up with a system that works wonders for me, and with the system I am able to make several loaves a bread a week without it being a hassle. I prep a month’s worth of bread machine mixes at one time!
This saves me so much time, because I only have to pull all of the ingredients out once, and the process of adding the ingredients to the machine is super simple.
Please note: I understand that becoming self reliant should probably involve me making bread by hand, in the oven, without the use of the bread machine. We are taking baby steps here! I am currently relying on making bread from scratch, and not having to run to the store for it, so I still consider that becoming self reliant. We do plan to share with you a great method for making homemade bread in the oven too, but you have to start somewhere, right?
Once you know what recipes you plan to make for the month, you want to get all of your supplies together. I usually make 3-4 batches of the same items, I don’t make 16 different flavors of bread. That would just be crazy! Here is what I have planned to prep for this month:
- Potato Bread
- Honey Wheat Bread
- Pretzel Dough
- Pizza Dough
Once I have all the ingredients together, I start adding them to the containers. I only add the dry ingredients to the containers (minus the yeast). Later I will add the wet/fresh ingredients that are needed for the recipe. I chose to invest in reusable plastic containers made by Click Clack (I got a great deal on them through One Kings Lane), but you could just use Ziploc storage bags if you want.
When I am done, I have several containers filled with pre-made bread machine mixes.
I label the lids of the containers with what mix is inside.
I store all of the pre-made mixes in my pantry.
When I want to make bread for the day, I just pull out one of the containers so I can add it to my bread machine.
I just pour all the dry ingredients into the bread machine.
The recipe I chose today called for water, honey and butter. These are the wet/fresh type ingredients that I add the day I make the bread.
Next, all of the wet ingredients get added to the machine.
Lastly, I add the yeast, and I am done! This is a HUGE time saver, and it ensures that we end up with bread that we made on our own and didn’t have to buy at the store.
Finally, you get to enjoy!
I have had a couple of questions regarding the Bread Machine I own and whether or not I like it. I own the Panasonic SD-YD250 Automatic Bread Maker and I absolutely love it!! I put a lot of research into it before I put it on my birthday list and had my husband buy it for me. 🙂 I really did do a lot of research though, you can check out all the reviews on the Panasonic SD-YD250 Automatic Bread Maker at Amazon, lots of people like it too!
The containers I used are the Clickclack Airtight Storer 1-1/4-Quart Container, Red Lid (Amazon link).
Here are a few of the recipes I used this month:
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread (I substituted butter for the vegetable oil)
- Crusty Potato Bread
- Pizza Crust (I am not really happy with this one, anybody have a pizza crust recipe you love? If so, please share!)
- Homemade Pretzels – (recipe post coming soon!)
This post is part of our year-long series on becoming self reliant, go HERE to read the other posts in the series thus far.
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Kelly says
Thanks for the info. And to add, I don’t feel like using a bread machine constitutes “cheating” at self reliance. You’re still making your own bread from fresh ingredients. To me, that’s self reliance. To compare, I wouldn’t see using a washing machine vs washing your clothes by hand as not being self reliant. In short, if you’re making your own items from scratch, you’re being self reliant. Keep up the good work.
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Ashlee says
I love this idea! I am sticking to be self reliant as well! I definitely plan on taking some time to look over your blog as well! I am just beginning my own blog and yours looks amazing! Good job and good luck! And thanks for all the work you put into this post! I know what I am doing this weekend!
PS. Did you find a pizza dough recipe you like? I just pinned one that looks amazing! I’ll let you know if it’s good!
Teri says
This is a great idea for use in an RV. I just bought a bread maker machine to put in ours for trips as I’m not super sure how to use the microwave/convection oven just yet. lol I was looking for exact recipes for each loaf to put in baggies and in the freezer to keep the flour fresh. Thanks! There is nothing like fresh smelling bread. I just hope I don’t attract any bears.
Kelly says
Does this recipe make a 1 1/2lb loaf?
Christy says
It will make whatever size your recipe calls for, some of mine were 1 1/2 pound loaves and others were 2 pounds
Mary says
This is a Betty Crocker recipe I found years and years ago. I have changed the directions slightly to serve me better. I mix it as directed, spread it out over a really large pizza pan with a rolling pin, brush with oil and then before I add the toppings, I also pour a 8 oz can of tomato sauce over the top. Then I prebake for ten to 15 minutes. Take out of oven, add toppings and then bake for another 10 minutes to 15 minutes. I find that if you prebake it the crust stays crispy. The recipe doesn’t use yeast and comes out thin and crisp, rather than thick and bready. It’s also faster because you don’t have to allow it to rise before using.
Thanks for the recipes. 🙂
Mary
Stir-N-Roll Pizza
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup salad oil
Heat oven to 425°F. Place flour, baking powder, salt, milk, and oil in bowl. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves side of bowl. Gather into a ball and knead in bowl 10 times to make smooth.
On lightly floured board, roll into two 13-inch circles or press into a jelly roll pan. Turn up edge 1/2-inch and pinch or pleat. Brush with 2 tablespoons oil. Pile on your choice of toppings. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
JoJo says
Just curious about your “Becoming Self Reliant” theme here. How did you purchase all the supplies, or did you grow and mill the wheat, eggs, sugar, butter??? Didn’t you have to go to grocery store for all that? What do you mean by “self reliant”? And maybe you are promoting time-saving techniques for busy homemakers – the time it takes to put together dry ingredients for bread is so nominal that I cannot for the life of me see what you are promoting? Maybe it is the plastic containers?
Kris says
Using the bread machine uses FAR less electricity than firing up your oven! I have been using one for over 20 years, have developed my own recipes and now am working exclusively from whole grain I grind myself. Whole grain has to be frozen – so I make ahead, as you suggest, but store in the freezer. Bread machines were developed in Japan because most Japanese homes don’t have an oven. I think using a bread machine to its fullest potential is being VERY self-reliant! Keep it up.
Nathalie says
I use the recipe at this address all the time. https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/4850-pizza-dough-with-honey-
It’s my favorite, I even freeze it and I take it out of the freezer before going to work to rixe, when I get home after work it’t ready.
Nina B. says
I have many questions! Do you think I could put the dry ingredients that my bread machine calls for into Mylar bags with an oxygen absorber for long-term storage? I don’t quite understand when the bread machine recipe book says to “put the ingredients in the order listed?” Is it okay that they will all be mixed into one bag – but you’ve already addressed this issue, haven’t you? Also, my friend told me when storing flour add a bay leaf – it keeps the bugs away? Have you heard of this before? Anyway, thanks so much for this article, it’s the only one of its kind out here!