Simple Homemade Bread

Would you like fresh, simple, homemade bread with about 5 minutes of hands on time? This bread not only tastes delicious, but it’s perfect for a busy schedule. Whip it together before work, while the kids are busy playing, or on a quick lunch break, pop it in the oven while cooking dinner, and you’ve got a yummy loaf on the table.

We all know as moms that our kids can eat. And eat. And eat. 

Since my oldest was about 9 months old, I have taken one of my gifts and talents (baking and cooking), and started making bread. I love a good sourdough, but some days I don’t have the time or energy. When a version of this bread came into my life, I was sold! 5 minutes of effort to mix together, plop in a pan and cook? Yes, please!! Kids, eat your fill.

Why I love it: it’s quick, it’s easy, it’s customizable, my family loves it, and it’s homemade!

Ingredients

• Warm Water
• Yeast – I always have Active Yeast on hand, but you could use Instant as well.
• Salt (I recommend Redmond’s Real Salt)
• Flour – all-purpose works great. I often mix in some whole wheat or freshly ground.

Variations

• Add 1-3 Tbsp sugar or honey for a sweeter loaf. 
• Fold in dried herbs, pepper or cheese prior to plopping in the pan. My favorite is rosemary and black pepper
• Experiment with add-ins! This is a very forgiving loaf.

Process

Mix warm water and yeast in a bowl. If I’m using active yeast, I like to let this sit for a few minutes. Not necessary, but it helps activate the yeast and give the rising a boost.

Stir in salt and flour. Dough is very sticky and wet.

Cover and let rise for up to a day. 4+ hours is recommended, but I’ve done as little as 2 hours (under 4 hours makes for a denser loaf. Still tastes good, and I’ve done it quite a few times on a busy day. Dense homemade bread is still better than no bread or store bought!).

Preheat oven to 450. Push a piece of parchment into a bread pan. It doesn’t have to look pretty.

Poke the dough, plop it in a pan, cover, and bake! It’s still super sticky, so I recommend a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to get it out of the bowl. I cover it with a second bread pan flipped over to lock in the moisture. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown (I often bake the last 5-10 minutes uncovered to give it some extra crispiness on the top).

Let it sit on a cooling rack as long as possible before cutting. So hard, I know. I’m definitely guilty of cutting in the first 10 minutes. An hour will give you a better texture, if you’ve got the time and patience.

Spread on some butter or jam and enjoy!!

Q and A

No Q and A this time! Pray, bless your kitchen, accept God’s provision, give this bread a test run, and make it again if it’s not delicious the first time! Seriously, it’s one of the most forgiving breads I’ve ever made. Enjoy!

Blessings!

Kaci