i made this :: BREAD!

II've attempted bread just once about 2 years ago. Impatient Beth got the better of me and I didn't let my yeast sit long enough, so my dough never actually rose. { When I told Mary my bread turned out this time around, she replied "And this time it was able to rise!" I was so touched she remembered that 2 years ago my first attempt at dough never rose. That girl. She's a keeper. } Since that little bread flop, I talked about trying to make bread as if it was the biggest regret I have ever had in all my life. When I would exclaim over-dramatic statements of "I'm so jealous you have a knack for this! My bread NEVER turns out!!! to his sister in law who made us fresh bread up at Snowy, Hunter would give me the gentle reminder of "Dear? You tried it just the one time."

YEAH LIKE I SAID. NEVER!
I'm such a peach.

When we were driving to the grocery last week, he brought it up that I should try my hand at baking bread again and I mumbled something resembling an excuse for why I couldn't, then quickly tried to change the subject to pho, or corn on the cob or something.

Yes, those are my go-to subject changers. You've been warned.

After being convinced now is a great time to try it again, I quickly searched "whole wheat bread recipes" and went with the first one that came up. When I'm cooking dinners or using recipes for anything other than baking, I'm pretty good at loosely following along, subbing what I have on hand and what I think we'd prefer. This time? Not a chance. I read that recipe word for word probably a dozen and a half times ensuring I was doing everything correctly. And what'dya know??! It turned out!

I MADE HOMEMADE BREAD.

I was talking with my mom last night how there is something far more rewarding in baking bread than there is in making a pasta dish, or even a complicated risotto. My mom has been baking homemade bread for as l-o-n-g as I can remember. Rolls, crescent rolls, loafs of bread...you name it. I grew up watching her test the dough for its stickiness, texture then proceed to form perfect rolls and loafs. Needless to say I was so flattered after sending her a photo of the bread and hearing words of praise from her and my grandma on how great they looked.

Toot toot! Yes, I just tooted my own horn.

After the market today, I'm going in for round two. Not implying that we have ate 3 loafs of bread in less than a week or anything! No! No. Not at all.

We totally did.

After I'm comfortable with the process, I'll branch out to trying different multigrain recipes or even......sourdough! Gasp.