Bread Makers- Can Save You Money

Remember the store Service Merchandise that went out of business about 7-8 years ago? They started having big sales in 1999 cause they knew they were in trouble and we were able to pick up some great bargains. I bought an Oster bread machine for only $30 and I think the same model sells for more than double that now. It makes a 1 pound or 1 1/2 pound loaf, has 3 crust settings, several choices (bake, french, dough, etc.), and does everything that a good one does nowadays. Well, that bread maker sat, unopened, in my utility room for about 10 years until 3 months ago. Why? I have no idea! I liked the idea of having it but never had the urge to use it. One day I just made up my mind to open the box and at least look at the instruction booklet. I have to admit I was surprised at how easy the instructions sounded so I decided to try making one loaf as an experiment. I had enough ingredients on hand for a basic herb bread so I made a loaf. My husband loves bread so he was enthusiastic and also curious as to how the machine would do. The house smelled really good cause of the oregano, basil and garlic so that set the stage. The machine seemed to do what the booklet said it would, and there were no odd noises. I was a bit worried about it having sat unused for 10 years! I now make at least 2 loaves each week because it is wonderful to have fresh, fragrant herb bread available! I used to pay $5.00 for a smallish loaf of it at the grocery store but no more. I have discovered that regular flour works just fine so I don’t have to buy the slightly more expensive bread flour. The dried herbs are available everywhere for a very reasonable price and I always have eggs, milk and butter on hand. My husband grew up a Midwest boy so bread is a “must” at the dinner table. He really likes the herb breads I’m turning out cause I vary them all the time. I start with a basic recipe and then my only limitation is my imagination and what I have on hand. It makes terrific grilled sandwiches and is out of this world toasted in the oven with a bit of garlic spread. If you cook a lot of meals at home and don’t have a bread machine, please give serious consideration to getting one. Ingredients are inexpensive and easy to locate and store at home. Flour, yeast, salt, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, and dried herbs like basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, chopped onion, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder are things that people usually have around anyway. I love baking bread at midnight or at 5AM – the idea is that I can do it whenever I want. My husband says the only drawback is he’s gained a few pounds since I started doing this!

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