Jen's Homemade Bread

My friend Jen is a wonderful cook and one of those who seem to have unlimited energy. She's also super crafty and a master at the sewing machine who also babysits regularly for her grandkids. She makes me tired hearing about her day.

We went out for lunch a few weeks back and got on the subject of bread and I mentioned that I had never made bread from scratch - aside from dessert breads like banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, apple cinnamon bread and the like. So, she offered to show me how.

She set a date - even though it was during the busy holiday season - and I went over there to get a lesson in bread baking.

I didn't realize what a long process it was. There's so few ingredients, but you have to let it rise and then punch down the dough. Then let it sit and do it again. Then let it set again. The process took hours, but it was worth it in the end. The result was two loaves of warm crusty bread that was so good with a pat on butter melted right into it.

I'm still a little hesitant to tackle it on my own without her there to tutor me, but perhaps I'll get adventurous and try it out on my own at home.

Do you make your own bread? What are some of your favorite recipes and tips for making bread from scratch?