It seems fitting to start the re-design of the blog with a post about bread, a food that has been around for thousands of years.  Something that one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Jimmy Buffett, talked about in his famous song “Cheeseburger in Paradise:”

“Warm beer and bread,” they said, “could raise the dead.”

As a fellow Pascagoulian, I hear you Jimmy.  Ever since I learned how to make bread, one of my favorite pastimes is to make bread and drink beer, just not warm beer – but I will if I have to!

“So how do I make my own bread,” you may ask.

“Don’t I need a bread maker?”

All you need is the right ingredients, an oven, a KitchenAid mixer if you can get one (but a bowl will do just fine), and a baking pan.

Red’s Bread

1 and 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbs sugar
1 Cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
3 Tbs room temperature butter
3 and 3/4 Cups + Bread Flour (preferably King Arthur Flour)
1/3 Cup Milk (can be 1%)
Nonstick spray if necessary

1.  Put your yeast, salt and sugar into a bowl (the KitchenAid bowl if using) and then pour in the water to begin the fermentation process.
2. Wait at least five minutes or until the yeast begins to foam.
3. Combine the milk, butter and flour to the mixture.
4. If using a Kitchenaid, put the bowl into the mixer with the bread hook attachment and mix into a ball for at least five minutes until smooth.  Otherwise mix in a bowl until you get the same smooth consistency or mix on a lightly floured countertop.  If dough is too moist add a little flour otherwise if it is too dry add water a tsp at a time.
5. Dump dough ball into a lightly greased container to rise for at least an hour.
6. After at least an hour, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Push dough into a bread pan (if not nonstick make sure to use a nonstick spray).
8. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into and enjoying with a touch of butter a cold beer.Cheers!
   Red