# I bought a bread machine! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 26, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557 "2007-03-26T16:20:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/1 "2007-03-26T16:20:12Z")
At a yard sale! For $5! With no book! It’s a GE machine, with I think 7 settings and 3 crust colors. Someone give me a clue what to do with this thing? Recipes? How-tos? Anything? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/2 "2007-03-26T16:23:10Z")
Hit the bookstore and find the bread section of the Cooking aisle. Tons of books that cover all types of machines. Play around with basic white bread until you get a feel for the machine, then you can play. Herb bread is a simple variation that doesn’t futz with the recipe too much. Just add your favorite herbage to the dough when the machine signals you. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/3 "2007-03-26T16:28:41Z")
I highly recommend this [book](http://www.amazon.com/Bread-Lovers-Machine-Cookbook/dp/155832156X/ref=pd_bbs_3/002-1988770-4024043?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174926365&sr=8-3). She provides serving suggestions, detailed yummy descriptions of her breads, excellent instructions for baking the bread in general, and specific detailed instructions for each individual loaf. She’ll keep you happy for months and months of bread baking. Congrats! Fresh baked bread is the best. ---
**Author:** ![Montgomery0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Montgomery0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montgomery0)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/4 "2007-03-26T16:29:36Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] At a yard sale! For $5! With no book! It’s a GE machine, with I think 7 settings and 3 crust colors. Someone give me a clue what to do with this thing? Recipes? How-tos? Anything? :smack: [/QUOTE] [GE Bread Maker PDF](http://www.gehousewares.com/houseware_files/products/106732%20breadmaker_1067521863662.pdf) [From GE Housewares FAQ](http://www.gehousewares.com/faq.jsp#breadmakers) > [@](#): > > Bread Makers > Q. Can I use other bread maker recipes? > A. Yes, however please note the average cups of flour used in the recipes in your Use & Care booklet. Do not exceed that amount. > > Q. How do I convert other recipes? > A. (Example: My mother? old bread recipes?) Note the cups of flour used in the recipes that came with your bread maker. Do not exceed that amount. > Do not program the bread maker to start at a delayed time when making a recipe using any milk or egg. > Do not dissolve the yeast or use warm water, as many traditional recipes instruct. The bread makers make this step unnecessary. > > Q. Why don’t you have more recipes? > A. Due to the popularity of bread makers, there are many sources of bread maker recipes. We included only basic recipes. > > Q. Where can I find more recipes? > A. Search the net. A good place to begin your search. Local book stores and kitchen specialty shops carry various recipes books. Also try writing to flour and yeast companies. Many have developed recipes for bread makers and are more than delighted to send them to consumers. > Red Star Yeast 1-800-445-4746 > Fleischmann? Yeast 1-800-777-4959 > Pillsbury Flour 1-800-767-4466 That’s the basics, I’m sure someone else will provide you with their favorite recipes. Edit: this product seems to be discontinued, try to be careful with it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/5 "2007-03-26T16:34:48Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] Someone give me a clue what to do with this thing? [/QUOTE] You could try to sell it at a yardsale. You could probably get 3 bucks for it. ---
**Author:** ![b3tour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@b3tour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/b3tour)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/6 "2007-03-26T17:01:03Z")
The latest edition(s?) of _The Joy of Cooking_ have some basic recipes. I was never happy (gross understatement) with the bread my machine (also a near freebie) made, but found it was excellent as a tool for mixing _and_ proofing dough. All that’s needed is to remove the finished dough and bake it in your oven to much greater effect than a breadmachine can possibly achieve. Slightly easier and less messy than using the good old stand mixer. I believe there are at least some professional bakers who use the same trick. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/7 "2007-03-26T17:04:42Z")
I use my bread machine often, but I bake the finished dough in the oven. Besides bread, I’ve made pizza dough, bagels, and peach jam (or preserves/jelly/whatever). ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/8 "2007-03-26T19:08:09Z")
[QUOTE=vmnetbridge] I use my bread machine often, but I bake the finished dough in the oven. Besides bread, I’ve made pizza dough, bagels, and peach jam (or preserves/jelly/whatever). [/QUOTE] I do exactly the same thing. It is a good dough maker, and I make a mean focaccia. Fresh bread I can get at the store. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/9 "2007-03-26T19:54:50Z")
[QUOTE=Montgomery0] [GE Bread Maker PDF](http://www.gehousewares.com/houseware_files/products/106732%20breadmaker_1067521863662.pdf) \ Edit: this product seems to be discontinued, try to be careful with it. 😃 [/QUOTE] You, sir (or madam?) are my hero! And you’re darned right I’ll be careful with it. 😃 [Quote=Trunk] You could try to sell it at a yardsale. You could probably get 3 bucks for it. [/quote] And you, sir, are a smart-alec! 😛 Thanks for the tips, everyone, I’m excited about trying it out. How do you make the foccaccia, **Mikemike2**? ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-bread-machine/397557/10 "2007-03-26T20:09:13Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] Thanks for the tips, everyone, I’m excited about trying it out. How do you make the foccaccia, **Mikemike2**? [/QUOTE] D’oh! The instructions are in the .pdf!