Do you have a question you’d like to ask your Frugal Friends? Send me an email!
*******************************************************
I received the following question from frugal friend Christy on Facebook.
Let’s help her out, and share some ideas!
“Do any of you have a bread maker?? If so, what brand do you recommend? Yeast and I have a duel to the death going on ~ it doesn’t like me!! I was thinking we could call a truce if I got it a bread maker to play with!” 
So… what works for you??
Do you use a bread machine? What’s your favorite brand?
Do you have any bread-making tips?? Or a yummy recipe?
Leave a comment, and let us know!
See Also:
More Ask Your Frugal Friends Q & A’s
I just saw your tweet of this question. I have a bread machine that I used to use a LOT. It’s a Panasonic – I think they really make the best ones. But, about a year ago I started to make no-knead bread in the oven and seldom use the bread maker any more. This is my bread recipe: http://www.thriftyjinxy.com/2008/05/delicious-easy-no-knead-bread-recipe.html (Hope you don’t mind me leaving a link!)
I have a bread machine, but I stopped using it about a year ago. I think I’m going to fire it up again. I’m not sure about suggestions on breadmaker brands because when I set out to get one a friend suggested that I check out local thrift stores because bread machines are usually there and can be had for less then $20. I lucked out and got one for $7 that works perfectly. I googled the model number for the manual and my machine.
I used to make a whole wheat bread with flax seeds once a week. A great resource for recipes is the king arthur flour website they have bread maker machine recipes that generally turn out pretty good.
Yea, i forgot to mention that I also, use the no-knead bread method as well.
We’ve had 2 and basically used them both to death. We never got a third one, mainly because they take up a lot of space, which we just don’t have.
It was nice waking up to warm, bread! And when I made holiday kolachi, it made kneading that much easier.
I think I’d get another one if I ever get rid of the giant combo toaster/egg maker…or the panini maker…or the TV…or the bread box…(you get the idea)
I have an Oster that I got back in 2000! I have used that thing at least once a month since I got it. For a few years there when hubby and I were in our first few years of marriage I made bread every couple of days…now I use it at least once a week for pizza dough/cinnamon rolls, sometimes I make bread but mostly for doughs now.
Hey try add your warm water to your bowl and all the other ingredients, add the flour and then the yeast (yes instant too)and then mix up, any more you don’t always have to let your yeast rise, I do this way often -add the yeast with my flour and it turns out great. Good luck.
I have an oster that I haven’t used in ages, not because it doesn’t do the job but I make 4 loaves at a time in my bosch now, plus I always hated the unsightly hole in the bottom of the baked breads from the bread machine.
I use my bread machine set on dough cycle, then shape the loaves myself. I like the look of bread from a loaf pan
I have a great Amish White Bread recipe that I got from All Recipes…It’s a bit sweet, and can be more dense, but makes great toast 
I use mine all the time – saves a ton of $$ on bread especially the whole wheat. I use it to make all sorts of dough, especially pizza dough and hamburger/hot dog buns. I haven’t purchased store bread in ages.
You don’t have to have a bread machine. Machines always seem so complicated to me. There are lots of recipes on the internet to make your own bread starter. Mix one of these up (or find someone who has a started to share with you), follow the directions and you could be making about 2 times a week. I have a sour dough bread started that makes 2-3 loaves per batch. Once you get or establish your starter you won’t have to worry about yeast.
I have a Zoruishi (I think that’s how you spell it). I got it for $5 at a thrift store, unopened. We are a Celiac family (3 out of the 4 are Celiacs) so I actually make our bread in the machine since it has a large paddle. I have also made gluten free pizza dough in it. It is fabulous! I use it at least 3 times a week just for bread.
The best results I ever got with baking bread:
Let the machine make the dough.
THEN
I take a clay flower pot, spray the inside with pan spray, put a small piece of aluminum foil over the hole in the bottom.
Put the dough in there and let it rise.
Then bake it in your oven. It comes out of the flower pot rather easy, and even easier the more times you use it.
AND it keeps the bread edges really soft, keeps it warmer longer & it looks very nice when taken somewhere.
Be very careful some clay puts have chemicals in them that are toxic. I have a clay pot bread mix. I saved the pots and use them all the time. We are horticulturist so we get a big kick out of our bread in flower pots
I have this bread machine… http://www.breadman.com/p-2-2-lb-stainless-steel-convection-bread-maker.aspx … I use it about 3-5 times a week. My young daughter also uses it because it’s so simple. I tried making bread by hand and had zero luck. Bought a bread machine and it worked all of the time. When I got this machine it had so many cycles, including one just for dough. I have gotten to the point where I make the dough through the first rise in the machine, then knead and do a second rise on the board and bake in my toaster oven… the shape is then traditional and by using either my bread maker or my toaster oven I am keeping my electricity costs down.
My favorite recipe is:
1-1/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp cup cooking oil
1 egg, scrambled (I have forgotten the egg before and it was still good)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder (I prefer buttermilk powder)
1/4 cup rolled oats (don’t use your steel cut ones for this!)
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1 packages active dry yeast
Put them in the machine in this order (with the yeast in a little hole in the flour on top) and bake on wholegrain setting.
I don’t like bread machines. They take up too much room, and are fairly pointless in my eyes.
Like a few others that have posted, I use the No-Knead Bread Recipe that originated in the NY Times. It is so simple, it just requires a bit of forward planning, as it’s sitting on the counter for 12-18 hours.
The only extra hardware is a dutch oven, which is something you can use for so many other dishes and instances, there really isn’t a reason to NOT have one. (I have a 4 1/2 quart Le Creuset that I snagged on clearance at Williams-Sonoma… and is the perfect size. I also have a 6 quart Lodge, which is great, but makes a very large loaf). You can use either Bread Flour or All-Purpose… I’ve used both with great results.
But with having a better flavor then the bread from a bread machine (or even from a bakery, frankly), and being so easy and cheap to make… I can’t justify spending the money or the space for a bread machine.
Just look for the NY Times No Knead-Bread recipe. It’s also in Mark Bittman’s book “How to Cook Everything”, and the man who created it, Jim Lahey, wrote his own book all around it (with variations) called “My Bread”. But you can find the recipe online for free very easily.
Yes, I use a bread machine. Not often, however, as my husband and I couldn’t get through the door if I made all the bread we could eat!!!
I don’t think brand of machine is as important as handling the ingredients correctly. BE SURE to follow mfg directions. Also, fluff the flour before measuring. Remember when we used to sift flour? It had more than one purpose. Flour sitting in a canister tends to pack down and your bread will be heavy, the liquids will not be adequate and the bread might “fall”. Fluff the flour in the canister before measuring. Use the “dip, level, pour” method. I also take my bread out of the machine (mine is round) before it bakes and put it in loaf pans to bake. Have always had good results and would not be without my bread machine–especially when the grandkids come for holidays, etc.
Happy baking!!
Does anyone have good suggestions for recipes that don’t use yeast at all?
I use a bread machine because I live in AZ and the oven heats up my house. I can put the machine on the back patio if I am serious about not heating up the house.
Keep those suggestions coming… and the recipes!! I’m still trying to find the “best” model for us – so letting me know what you use or have used and stopped using really helps!!
Thanks everyone for the info –
Christy
aka Triddine
I need YEAST FREE bread recipes for my breadmaker. My husband is diabetic and has chronic problems with yeast. Believe it or not once I stopped buying bread with yeast he started getting better.I recently bought an EMERIL brand bread maker and love it but no yeast free recipes included.
SneakyTigger–I just did a recipe search on allrecipes.com and found this recipe that is a yeastless bread. Maybe it will help or just give you a start.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Swope-Bread/Detail.aspx
I use mine all the time for pizza dough. My daughter only likes my pizza now. We do zucchini or spinach pizza from our garden.
Stombollies, work great. Doos way ro use up the lunch meat from the week.
Dessert pizzas are a great way to use up very ripe fruit.
I found several cookbooks that have loads of recipes for bread machines. I make chinese buns with dough from the machine and left over sloppy joe meat.
My friends love my homemade bread and ask me to bring it with a lot. I also make homemade herb butters from my garden to go with the bread.
My machine just broke and I am so very lost without it.Can’t wait to get a new one!
I have a bread machine, and its been hidden…. In my garage for years. I decided to pull it out and make bread. Problem is I cant find any affordable box mix for bread machines. I tried Walmart, Food4less, dont have it. Stater Bros. has it for $3.99. I can buy a loaf of bread on sale for $1.99.
Im going to keep searching but not sure its worth it.
you do not need mixes. The book that came with the machine has a lot of recipes. If not check on line.