I'm a baker!

I am so excited because I successfully baked bread today.  Like real bread.  Not quick bread or bread machine bread.  First things first...breakfast, or brunch really since I slept late.

 On Sundays we like to go out for breakfast.  Usually to the Omelet Shoppe.  This is the best breakfast spot.  The decor is stuck in a 70's time warp, orange tile walls, brown linoleum, and super cool retro food pictures on the wall.  Seriously if they ever modernize the place I might cry.  Especially if they take the 30 year old food pics down!  Anyhow I got the ham and cheese omelet, cheese and mushroom hashbrowns, and rye toast.   Obviously they specialize in omelets but their mushroom swiss burger is to die for.  Really.

Upon my return home I got a wild idea to make bread.  I was staring at my bag of flour, Hodgson Mills 50/50, and noticed the recipe on the back.  This flour is a mix of half whole wheat and half regular flour.  It's not bleached or enriched however. I made the recipe on the back of the bag as written and it turned out great.  I can see where a mixer and dough hook thingy would come in handy because 10 minutes of kneading by hand is a lot.  The results were worth it though.  So good! 

 The recipe made three loaves. We ate half of a loaf right away!  I gave one to my parents and we will be eating the remainder this week.  In fact, I'm planning a couple slices for breakfast tomorrow. So the moral of this tale is that you shouldn't be afraid to try things in the kitchen.  For years I was afraid of the whole yeast, rising, and kneading thing and in the past week I've succeeded in making sesame flatbreads, pizza crust, and now three gorgeous and delicious loaves of bread.  Go me! :P