My bread maker decided to stop working. I put all the ingredients in for dough, and an hour and 20 minutes later when the timer went off, I still had all the ingredients in the pan, not dough. It appeared the knead bar didn't work. I salvaged the ingredients by hand, still made the rolls, but they were kind of dense. I didn't bother trying to make bread, but will look for alternate recipes that are easy and won't kill my hands. I'd like fresh bread now and then but I'm not rushing out to replace the maker. I'm trying to figure out if there is a fix or if there is a part that needs replacing. My guess is it will cost more to replace the part than finding a second hand maker. If I find an easy peasy recipe, I'll just skip entirely, second hand or not. There's also frozen bread dough that I can just keep in the freezer which will do the trick.
It sure was nice to have when the older kids were young through their teen years. A batch of soup or chili and a loaf of bread made a really hearty meal. I think I got the machine from DH for Christmas perhaps about five years after we were in the house so perhaps 1996, or maybe a couple years after that. I know I had it several years before DD2 was born in 2001. The years before she started Kindergarten it got used the most. I was in a regular routine of making a batch if cinnamon rolls on Fridays as there was always an extra kid or two and it was a cheap and well received snack. I'd follow with a loaf of bread-sometimes two depending how early I started and what was being made for supper. In the last 10 years, it was used 1/4 of the previous 10, but conservateivley, I've baked 500 loaves of bread or dough in it's life. I don't know what DH spent, but if it can't be salavaged, it had a good run.
Maybe it's weird to have a little wispiness of memories over an appliance, but I do. In my crazy hectic days of a full time working mom of three, in the heart of my career taking off, I had a lot of mixed feelings of whether I was doing right by my family. Mommy wars were alive and well, complete with the guilt. The bread maker helped me channel a little June Cleaver, feeling like at least once in a while, I was that kind of mom.
I've never had or wanted one but I actually enjoy kneading dough. I keep a starter in my fridge in the colder months. This was a Paula Deen recipe and works great- my grandsons like my cinnamon rolls but I still only bake them maybe once a month. Right now I have 2 pans in the freezer. It's made from sugar, yeast and potato flakes plus water and the recipe for bread or rolls doesn't call for any milk or eggs- just flour and starter which is good since I rarely have milk. It's actually cool here this morning and supposed to get up to mid 50s. I have my annual doctor's appointment this afternoon- ugh. Enjoy your day off- I've been working since 5 AM.
ReplyDeleteI liked the ese of dump everything and go! Laziness home made! I've never had good luck with breads with starters.
DeleteWe have an electric grill that hubby got right after he divorced 22 years ago, still works like a charm. I've made thousands of pancakes on that thing and it still keeps going. I've never had any luck with bread machines myself, only had one from brand new and it always made rock hard squares so got rid of it
ReplyDeleteMaybe I hit the right recipe-but mostly our loves have been mighty good-which is part of why I'll miss it. A good appliance is a treat.
DeleteI've seen scads of used bread makers in thrift stores available for a song. It was one of those appliances that were the "hot" new thing that everyone bought and then discarded. Agreed that a repair will cost you more than a new to you second hand one....good old planned obsolescence at work! lol
ReplyDeleteYes-I hear about people all the time when I mentioned bread making say they had one in the basement, garage etc. My MIL actually said I could have hers if it doesn't work again as she hasn't used in over a decade.
DeleteI don't think it's silly to wax romantic about a beloved appliance. I still pine for my range we left when we moved in 2002. Also, my first Kitchenaid mixer was my favorite. It was a 4.5 qt tilthead. DH upgraded me one year to a 5 qt. bowl lift version, so I gave me smaller one to a dear friend, an older woman from who hadn't had one in years, and whose hands just couldn't take mixing. I miss the tilt head!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it is not just me. It is a storage headache, and take up a lot of room, but it worked for my life.
DeleteI bought two of these in the time but could not get either to make a decent loaf, so back they went. I wore out a kitchen aid mixer after 17 years of bread making then Hub's parent's bought me the bosch. I love to make bread, with hubs prediabetes it is a no go i our house now so I only bake every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteWe probably eat way too much bread anyway. DH has the pre-diabetes as well, so yep, need to reduce those simple sugars.
DeleteI thought I posted this--I have found breadmakers in thrift stores and yard sales for $3-$4. I buy them, wash the container, make a loaf of bread and then sell them for about $10 more than I paid. The one I kept for me was new in the box. A blogger even asked me to sell her one and she paid the postage. I have not gotten out to find any in about two years.
ReplyDeleteI know they can be bought for a song-now I'm not sure I even want one again.
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