I meant to add, when I was doing container gardening (sips) I was able to get buckets from my grocery store by asking them to save them for me in the bakery. Their frosting comes in buckets.

Laura

Hello all you fine bread baking gals…   I have a Turbo Baker II that I have used for the last 19 years. I like many of you, like to use it on the manual cycle, especially when I am making cinnamon roll dough, pizza dough, calzones, baguettes, coffee breads or bread sticks and focaccia dough…but I also enjoy the benefits of letting it do all the work at times as well.

I personally when buying my flours in bulk, like to repackage into 1 1/2 to 2 gallon sized zip freezer bags, and store in my freezer. I have found it to stay fresher longer that way as I usually buy 30# at a time, at our nearby Amish bulk stores.

I do store my yeast partly in the freezer and in the refrigerator, as I usually am buying 2# at a time. A good thing I like to do is bring the amount of yeast I am using to room temperature before baking with it. My bread machine is dry to wet, I find I get a better result that way. If it is near expiration, I like BEG suggests, add a dash more to insure a good rising.

I feel when baking anything it is so good to stretch yourself to go beyond what the recipe calls for. .. i.e. Roasted Pepper Focaccia, instead of just roasted red peppers, I add chopped drained artichokes too. .. to my Honey Whole Wheat bread I add oats, sunflowers, milled flaxseed, sesame, poppyseed, millet, red wheat berries, chia…etc.. amounting to up to 13 different seed/berry grains .. it tastes like a bread called Birdseed Bread.. everything you add improves the nutritional value and boosts its goodness for you and your families… 

I have a Oster bread machine that I received as a gift probably about 10 years ago.  I haven't been using it very often, lately.  I find it relaxing to stand their and knead the bread.  As each day here seems to be getting crazier and crazier, I will probably start getting it out more often.

Joell said:

It sounds like your yeast is alright, I would probably use it my self.

        Lajoda, if you bake today, please let us know how it turns out.

Joell,

While I did try the yeast which I have now pronounced dead, I tried it in Kellyb's recipe to test with 3 cups of flour instead of a larger loaf in the breadmaker. It turned out, well it was pretty dense and my DH offered to slice it for me with his chainsaw. So……..onward. I will buy fresh yeast and try your recipe in the breadmaker in the next few days and Kellyb's recipe again. Supposed to rain today I don't feel like a grocery store trip. I think I have uploaded a photo? It says I was successful………… we shall see.

Laura