My husband surprised me with a bread maker a couple of months ago. Actually, I pointed and fretted and lay in the aisle at Sears kicking and screaming until he gave in and bought it for me.
About 50% of the time the Breadman machine will make really good bread. The other half of the time it makes, well, something rectangular and flat that you could use for a door-stop.
It seems to work best when I use my own ingredients – as opposed to stealing the stuff. Seriously, though, I’m pretty sure it just doesn’t work when I use those boxed Fleischmann’s mixes. I’m suspecting now that the yeast they include with those boxed mixes is left over from the Civil War.
I figured out my bread problem several ruined loaves ago. I’m still somewhat in denial about it. I just love the idea that everything is included in the box and that it’s all nicely measured for me.
I am crazy as a loon, I realize. Sure it’s no trouble to use the box mix. But, no trouble results in no bread. I guess I’m going to have to face this fact and measure my own flour. In the mean time, anyone need a door-stop? I have lots.