first time to make bread...

[chloe25]

hi all!

i want to make a bread that will go with beef stew
(i'm trying out the best beef stew first then try
the over baked beef stew next week)

but i have ZERO experience with bread....
is it hard to make?

does anyone have an easy bread recipe they recommend
for my first try? and i don't have a bread machine
either...

thanks for your help!!!
=)

chloe

[123Alice]

I just recently started making my own bread entirely from hand (I've been using a bread machine for a few years). I haven't had too many problems and everything I've made has been edible, even if it hasn't had the best texture or anything. I can't really give you a recipe for a good first one, however, because I think you should read some tips on how to knead and stuff also. When I first started, I went to my library and checked out a couple of books on baking bread. The one I've used the most is The Wooden Spoon Bread Book , by Marilyn Moore. She even gives a recipe for a "learning loaf". She explains it as "an easy-to-handle one-loaf bread recipe that can be used for a learning experience. The small amount of dough is very easy to knead and should give you the confidence for later projects."

I can post this recipe and some of her explanations on how to knead if you'd like. Or you might just want to see what your local library can teach you. Let me know!

Alice

[Beth]

I used the honey wheat recipe from that same book -- both as written and as a basis for many variations and have always been happy with it. It's the one she uses for the Honey Bear.

[keg64]

Hi Cloe25, I have just started making bread too. The first one that I tried was Moomie's buns (recipe and comments here). These are very good. Good luck! Kim