Frugal Framnett

A loaf of caraway rye bread

In fact the most expensive part is probably the machine and you can pick those up at rummage sales or thrift shops.

What I do is to use the bread machine for its dough cycle, if you allow the machine to bake the loaf then expect some trashed sections of bread where the beaters tear out.

The process is simple, but I do not detail it here, you can look it up in the Joy of Cooking or any other cookbook that addresses bread baking. The machine takes you to the start of the proofing stage.

I make caraway rye and honey-white breads as my two main loaves, but have made other ones. Also, note there is no need to buy mixes from the store, get a recipe and be exacting with your measurements! Strike spoonfuls with a knife to make sure you have the exact amount called for. Also, bake related but different recipes and observe how the differences in the recipes affect the final product. For example, in most baking enterprises, the addition of milk makes the final product softer (think chewy cookies instead of crisp or crunchy).

How does the bread keep? Wonderfully, just as long if not longer than store-bought bread! Keep the loaf whole and only cut pieces off as you need them. Store you bread in a plastic bag.

Here is a good thing to do with homemade loaf of caraway rye bread, obtain the following:

1. Deli ham, usually I prefer the smoked ham, but budgets have me on boiled ham.
2. Some real cheddar cheese - I prefer medium cheddar cheese, but any cheese younger than four years will do fine. I would not suggest using a fine old sharp cheddar anymore than I would suggest you pouring Coca-Cola into a glass of Maker’s Mark!
3. Some real butter
4. Some horesradish mustard

The Process:

1. Slice off two pieces of the bread
2. Butter the outsides of each piece
3. Smear the insides of the each bread slice with the mustard
4. Pile on some ham
5. Place a slice or two of cheese on top of the ham
6. Close the sandwich (remember butter outside mustard inside)
7. Toast your sandwich in a toaster oven (more frugal than your full sized oven)
8. When the cheese starts to run out of your sandwich remove the sandwich and let cool a bit
9. EAT IT EAT IT it shouldn’t be cold so you will not have to reheat it!

Sometimes I use swiss or baby swiss in place of the cheddar, but I prefer cheddar. This sandwich will satisfy adult tastes!