SF's road to mortgage freedom!

slowlyfading

So, it's the end of the year! It's been quite a good one for the SF household, and we're both looking forward to 2014

Not doing much today; we're going to my parents for tonight, but apart from that I'm just at home. Probably should do some housework at some point

Happy New Year everyone :beer:

pavlovs_dog

do you always make the same loaf, or could a compromise be that if you are baking less often you will at least try something different (almost) every time?

I keep saying that I need to drag our breadmaker out of the cupboard to see if it still works (hasn't been used since before we moved in 3.3. years ago!). Going to declutter the freezer of yellow stickered bread bargains first, and that may take a while (I seem to have a bit of an obsession)!!

slowlyfading

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

do you always make the same loaf, or could a compromise be that if you are baking less often you will at least try something different (almost) every time?

Every time I've made a loaf, it's always been the same one my aim this year is to be a bit more adventurous! Any good recipe suggestions?

My in-laws have a bread maker and the bread it makes is good, but I can't justify the expense of one (yet!). They sometimes do it so that the bread will be ready when they get up - that would be so dangerous for me I'd end up eating half a loaf :rotfl:

I'm hoping to do more seeded breads/wholemeal breads as I prefer those. But, they seem a bit complicated I just need to get a grip, don't I? :rotfl:

pavlovs_dog

slowlyfading wrote: »

Every time I've made a loaf, it's always been the same one my aim this year is to be a bit more adventurous! Any good recipe suggestions?

I've not really entered this particular baking realm so I'm not the best qualified person to comment. Paul Hollywood and James Whatsit (formally of great british bake off fame) both have bread books out that have sold very well.

slowlyfading

I think I've got the Paul Hollywood one? I shall have a look

edinburgher

I'm a big fan of our bread maker. It must be 15 (if it's a day) and it reliably churns out a decent white loaf and a reasonable (but small) wholemeal loaf.

Not bad for 20p or so a time and minimal electricity. The main things about making your own bread have to be convenience and knowing that you control the ingredients, both of which it delivers in spades.

Bread makers go through phases of popularity and wild unpopularity - maybe you can pick one up at a car boot sale/Freeecycle/Gumtree/eBay local.

Happy Hogmany to you and Mr SF - may 2014 treat you as well as 2013 :dance:

slowlyfading

Thanks edinburger - I shall have a look at the car boot once they start again round here

Happy new year to you and your OH too - I'm hoping that 2014 is as good! :j

Piquant_2

Happy New Year SF!

Piq x

slowlyfading

Happy new year Piq

DedicatedDFW

Happy New Year SF

Just popping in on the breadmaking discussion Om nom nom - My breadmaker was passed onto me by a family member but i am aware of lots of supermarkets having sales on at the mo. so you may see a reasonably priced one there. I didn't use it alot when i first got it but as space is in short supply here i now have a rule that things need to be used to earn their keep I now use it lots and agree with edinburgher that it is really satisfying knowing all the ingredients that have been used.

I have just done small variations on the same loaf i think - so standard white bread, italian bread, cheese and onion bread - planned to make cheese and bacon bread but had run out of cheese :eek: so thats on the agenda, and banana and walnut loaf Oh and an oat loaf and wholemeal

Its great that if we run out of bread (always buy a loaf from the supermarket) then i can make one and it is very tasty too I think i should join you though on the challenge of making more home made bread - i enjoy it and its money saving :T

edinburgher - what do you put your loaf in once its done please? - i am using alot of tinfoil :eek: and wondered if there's anything else