OK, some purists would scoff at this but I am going to extol the virtues of my bread maker. It is not a big brand machine. I got it new in the box at the thrift shop. It is easy to use. The machine came with a recipe book and the internet is flooded with recipes.
First things first. You need good ingredients. I use bread flour and bread machine yeast. I also use real buttermilk.
Even if you want to bake your bread in a conventional oven you can use the bread machine to mix the dough and then transfer it in to a regular loaf pan for it's final rising and baking. The machine is also great for mixing pizza dough. You have to mix enough for 2 pizzas at a time but the dough can be stored in the fridge for several days.
I really like the whole grain breads that you can make in the machine but the whole wheat flour is hard on the non-stick coating of the loaf pans. I usually make 33% whole-wheat bread.
The timer went off as I was typing.
And now for something completely different. I have a great recipe for Irish Soda Bread that is cooked in the MICROWAVE. I use a microwave safe bunt pan for mine. This is a great bread. You just have to get over the fact that it is cooked in the microwave. The only changes that I made were to add about 1/4 cup of flour (the dough was wet) and I only use 1/2 of the caraway seeds.
IRISH SODA BREAD
2 1/2 cups flour
3 tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 tbsp. caraway seeds
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3/4 tsp. baking soda
Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder; cut in softened butter. Stir in raisins and caraway. Combine buttermilk egg and baking soda; add to dry ingredients. stir only until flour is moistened. on a floured board, lightly knead dough until smooth, about 3 minutes. Shape in a ball and place in a 1 1/2 quart glass bowl with the bottom lined with waxed paper. Cut an "X" across the top of the dough. Cover with waxed paper. Cook at MEDIUM for 7 to 9 minutes. Let stand uncovered, 10 minutes; turn out of bowl. Let stand upside-down for an additional 10 minutes; store covered, until ready to serve.