The best bread ever, or why I don't buy bread in the store anymore...

Long story very short, Jim bought me a breadmaker 6 years ago, and it sat in the box for 4 years. Then it came out and I occasionally used it to make dough for rolls or cinnamon bread. It wasn't until this past summer, when we were cutting our grocery budget to the bone, that I started my quest for the perfect toast and sandwich bread in my breadmaker. So far, this is my favorite:

Rapid Buttermilk Bread ~ $1.15 per loaf
1 1/2 cups hot water (100 degrees F)
6 tbsp. cultured buttermilk powder ($0.35 per loaf, $5.99 per canister)
2 tbsp. softened butter ($0.10)
2 tbsp sugar, brown sugar, or honey ($0.05)
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour ($0.50 per loaf, $3.99 per 5 lb. bag)
2 tbsp instant bread machine yeast ($0.15 per loaf, $6.99 per jar)

1. Add ingredients to pan according to bread machine directions. Make sure you add buttermilk powder immediately after the hot water, then continue as directed.
2. Bake on rapid cycle for a 2 pound loaf.

The Verdict
This bread is amazing... soft, moist, tender, and perfect for toast, sandwiches, grilled cheese. Which sweetener you use is a matter of taste. I prefer the honey, but the kids seem to like the brown sugar best. It keeps a good long time, not that much of it gets left for long. I am going through 2 loaves a week, so it's a good thing that it is SO much cheaper than storebought!

$0.83 per serving ~ Pasta e Fagioli and Garlic and Cheese Biscuits

I knew my friend Karen would think I stole this from her, but this is my own recipe, from an attempt to cut down the recipe the way Grandma used to make it... She has a great recipe posted on her blog so check it out if you want one with more veggies...

Pasta e Fagioli ~ $0.63 per serving
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning ($1.00)
2 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained ($1.00)
Salt and pepper
8 oz. small macaroni, cooked. ($0.50)
Grated cheese

1. Saute garlic in 1 tbsp oil until brown over medium heat. Cook macaroni in a separate pot. Drain, toss w/ 1 tbsp. olive oil, cover and keep warm.
2. Stir in tomatoes and cook until bubbly.
3. Add spices and simmer until tomatoes soften, about 15 minutes. Break up tomatoes with back of spoon if they are too large.
4. Add beans and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Place a scoop of pasta in a bowl, ladle tomato mixture over it and toss thoroughly. Top with grated cheese to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Garlic and Cheese Biscuits ~ $0.20 per serving
2 cups all-purpose flour ($0.05)
1 pinch baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese ($1.00)
2/3 cup milk ($0.20)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a fork. Mix in cheese.
3. Stir milk in with a fork just until moist.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 450 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Combine melted butter and garlic in small bowl. Brush over biscuits while warm.
Makes 12 biscuits/6 servings.

The Verdict
I did a few things differently than the recipe for the pasta fagioli. I got a ton of tomatoes and peppers from a neighbor at the end of the summer, so I jarred them after cooking them together with onions, garlic, and spices. So I replaced the diced tomatoes and all the spices with my jar... it was delicious! I have a business idea now... "Puttanesca's Pasta e Fagioli, just add pasta and fagioli!" Hm, maybe not. Josh wasn't nuts about the pasta e fagioli, but he did eat a decent amount of it. The biscuits, on the other hand, were a SMASHING success. We should have had 6 left over... we only had 4. Oh well, guess I can make more, and I can change-up the cheese based on what the main dish is. Colby Jack with Mexican, Cheddar with beef stew, ah, the possibilities are endless...