"Jeffy3" wrote

> Help. I bought a bread machine for my wife for Christmas and cannot
> locate a user's guide on line and I don't want to open up the box. I
> know she is going to want to bake bread for Christmas dinner so I want
> to have the supplies she will need ready that morning. What do I buy

Jeffy, I'd advise you both get a box mix (she may not want to fiddle too
much that specific day) and the ingredients for a basic bread (so she can
fiddle if she wants to). Check the box mix as some have the yeast in there
already. I don't like the boxes myself but then I can load a machine in 3
mins flat with ease and it's waaayy cheaper than the boxes. Like, they want
4.99 for a boxed white at my local store but i can make a loaf with my own
measured stuff in 3 mins for less than 50cents.

A small jar of Fleishmans 'breadmachine yeast' (or other brand, look for
'rapid rise' 'instant', 'breadmachine'.). Fleishman's recommended only
because it's easy to tell you have the right type.

Flour- 'better for bread' or ones that say 'breadmachine' in the white
types. These have a higher protien than 'all purpose' general flours and
are more apt to lead to a successful result for all, but especially one
who's a beginner and used to box mixes. Will only cost slightly more. Kind
Arthur is also a good brand. If all you see is 'all purpose' try to find it
in King Arthur brand. If not found, just go 'all purpose'. Do NOT get
'self rising' flour. Thats for biscuits and soda breads, not yeast breads
from a breadmachine.

Regular sugar, she'll only need at most 3 TB for just about any recipe so
you probably have it.

Salt, regular table salt, again won't need much and can be iodized or plain.
Pickup a box if in doubt (no, can't use 'salt replacements' and have the
bread come out right but even if on a reduced sodium diet, it doesnt use
enough to be a problem).

That and water will make a loaf. Other suggested things to have handy (in
order of use): milk (may need a little more than a cup, I have a cannister
of dry powder and just mix as needed), eggs, butter (can be margarine),
olive oil (can be other vegetable oils but stick to the lighter 'thin' types
like you'd use in a salad dressing), honey (the cheap type is fine for
baking), brown sugar, nuts (broken walnuts are cheap and will save breaking
them up, anything you like but they need to be unsalted or will throw the
recipe off), raisins, cinnimon. This is for white breads. You do NOT need
to get it all in one shot. Just look over the list and see what seems
useful to add this trip of what isnt handy already. Yes, I literrally put
them pretty much in order although we can quibble the order in the later
ones.

Now, if you want to try whole wheats or ryes (again, in order pretty much
but you'll see the 'aded things shift order) add to the basic yeast, white
flour, sugar and salt: whole wheat or rye (or both), honey, brown sugar,
eggs, raisins, butter or oil, gluten powder, nuts, milk or milk powder,
caraway seed, cinnimon, browning bannanas.

Gluten powder aides the 'rise' in whole wheat or rye breads. Suggest
starting with recipes no more than 50% rye or whole wheat (or a combination
thereof) and 50% or more white 'better for bread' flour if going to try the
'not just white flour' versions at the start.

If you tell me the size of the loafs the machine is made for and what types
you are looking for, I can return recipes for you. Oh, and warn me if you
arent in USA as some of those product names shift (example, breadmakers
white flour for machines is called 'strong flour' in the UK).