Have you tried my popular bread machine recipe, "Bread Machine French Bread"? It may not be authentic French bread, but it's an easy and delicious recipe for beginners that usually turns out great. Recently, one of my readers requested a whole wheat version. It's not quite as "fool-proof" because whole wheat has a different personality and needs a little extra care. When you try this recipe keep these tips in mind. A Few Handy Tips for Baking with Whole Wheat Flour White vs. Red. White whole...

Fall Recipes I Can't Wait to Make What kind of recipe do you like to make when the weather starts to turn cool? My sister always reports when she makes her first bowl of soup in autumn so we can compare. Maybe it's pumpkin-something at your house, winter squash, or apples. I've gathered a few of my favorites that taste best wearing a sweatshirt. (Sorry if I'm a bit late with this--it's still reaching into the high 80's here in Texas, so the mood is slow to hit me.) Savory Mashed Sweet and...

Have you tried the Rapid Bake Cycle on your bread machine? It’s tempting when time is short—press the button and get a warm loaf in just over an hour. How does it work? The machine calls for extra yeast and higher temperatures to speed things up. The trade-off: flavor, texture, and shelf life. Rapid Bake loaves are usually denser, taste flatter, and go stale quickly. Kids may gobble it up, but it’s not the kind of bread you’ll want to share proudly. Bread flavor needs time. Sourdough lovers,...