It might feel like spring today….and has for the last 2 weeks….but since the Equinox hasn’t happened yet, I decided to bake up a winter bread. This isn’t a sweet bread, it’s a sandwich bread with a deep color. Perfect for people who claim to hate vegetables.

Pumpkin Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp avocado or similar oil
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 500 grams all-purpose or bread flour
• 2¼ tsp dry yeast

Directions:

Zojirushi bread machines warm the ingredients for you, with other brands of bread machines use warmed liquid instead, at the temperature called for, and stack the ingredients as called for in the manual.

Add ingredients in order listed. Set loaf for standard white bread, light crust.

Check during the first kneading cycle, to make sure everything is mixing.

Remove after baking, let cool on a rack.

Once fully cooled, store in a sealed bread bag, and use within 2 days for best results. This slices well for freezing. We take out slices at night, put in a sandwich box, and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight for sandwiches.

Makes a 2 pound loaf.

~Sarah

Soft interior, perfect for sandwiches. With a light crunchy bottom crust and a hint of sweetness, this bread is simply delicious. It is a simple loaf with only 6 ingredients, I do recommend whole milk for best results.

Milk and Honey Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 1 Tbsp milk
• 3 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1½ tsp fine sea salt
• 390 grams all-purpose or bread flour
• 2 tsp dry yeast

Directions:

Zojirushi bread machines warm the ingredients for you, with other brands of bread machines use warmed liquid instead, at the temperature called for, and stack the ingredients as called for in the manual.

Add ingredients in order listed. Set loaf for standard white bread, medium crust.

Check during the first kneading cycle, to make sure everything is mixing.

Remove after baking, let cool on a rack.

Once fully cooled, store in a sealed bread bag, and use within 2 days for best results. This slices well for freezing. We take out slices at night, put in a sandwich box, and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight for sandwiches.

Makes a 1½ pound loaf.

~Sarah

This herb and garlic bread will have you feeling hungry as it bakes in the bread machine, the aroma is so good. Excellent for pairing with a bowl of soup, though it is so good for sandwiches as well.

Herb and Parmesan Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 3 Tbsp minced or crumbled herbs* blend
• 480 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese*
• 2¼ tsp dry yeast

Directions:

This bread recipe requires a bread machine that can make a 2 pound loaf. Some smaller machines don’t go this big, so be sure to check. Zojirushi bread machines warm the ingredients for you, with other brands of bread machines use warm water instead, at the temperature called for, and stack the ingredients as called for in the manual.

Add ingredients in order listed. Set loaf for standard white bread, medium crust.

Check during the first kneading cycle, to make sure everything is mixing.

Once fully cooled, store in a sealed bread bag, and use within 2 days for best results. This slices well for freezing. We take out slices at night, put in a sandwich box, and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight for sandwiches.

Makes one 2 pound loaf.

*Notes:

Use fresh herbs, finely minced, or use freeze-dried herbs. If you haven’t tried freeze-dried herbs, they work so well in bread.

For the Parmesan cheese, I used the “green can” type, not freshly grated. I find it works better in baked goods and mixes in better.

Weighing the flour is important with bread machines, measuring can often add far more flour.

~Sarah

Not a sweet bread, but neither is it savory. The vanilla comes through as an essence, and pairs well slathered with butter. Pairs well as sandwich bread or served with a thick soup.

Sour Cream and Vanilla Bread

Ingredients:

• ½ cup water
• 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp butter, diced up and softened
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp active dry yeast

Directions:

Add ingredients in order recommended by your bread machine. Use the temperature recommended for the water.

Select the regular or basic cycle on your machine, with a light crust color.

Once baked, remove immediately and cool on a rack.

Makes a 1½ pound loaf.

Notes:

We use a Zojirushi Bread Machine, which does up to a 2 pound loaf. It preheats the liquids for the dough.

~Sarah

This makes a 1½ pound loaf of bread and will work in most bread machines. It’s a light loaf, with a crispy, flaky crust. Great for sandwiches. We make our bread in a Zojirushi machine.

Basic 1.5 Pound Bread Machine White Bread

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened and sliced
• 380 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 4 tsp granulated sugar
• ¼ cup dry milk
• 2¼ tsp active dry yeast

Directions:

Add the water and butter to the bread machine*.

Add dry ingredients, topping with the yeast.

Set for a basic loaf (or 1½ pound loaf depending on your machine). We use a Zojirushi, which preheats the ingredients before starting the cycle.

Once baked, take out and let cool on a rack. Store sealed in a plastic bread bag, use with 24 hours for best taste.

*If your bread machine doesn’t preheat, use water at the temperature recommended for your model.

~Sarah