Bread Machine

My "new-to-me" bread machine came home yesterday and I have made 3 loaves of really nice light wheat bread! I used the dough setting and baked them in the oven, and they are a wonderful texture. Here's the recipe:

1 cup warm water (I use tap water from the hot side of the spikot)
2 tsp sugar
1 package yeast (I buy this in bulk, and used 1 1/4 tbsp)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Though it flies in the face of conventional wisdom, combine the water, sugar, and yeast in the bread machine and let it sit for 10 minutes. This allows the yeast to feed on the sugar. Then add the other ingredients. Set bread machine for dough cycle if baking in the oven, or light crust white bread if baking in bread machine. Brush tops with butter or margarine and bake in oven for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees. (Note: Usually I have read you can tell if your bread is finished cooking by thumping it. If it sounds hollow its done. This bread does not sound hollow.)

I have small foil bread pans, so I took the dough out of the machine and pinched it in half. Then, holding one half, I folded the edges under, turned the dough, and folded again so that I could shape the dough. Because I did not knead the dough, there were not big air bubbles in the bread. Then for the third loaf I used the full amount of dough in one pan and it worked well.

My other "experiment" this weekend was to use the Magic Mix to make chocolate pudding. It was easy and tasty. Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup Magic Mix
2-3 tbsp cocoa
2 cups water
1 tsp vanilla

In a medium size sauce pan, combine sugar, MM, cocoa, and water. Stir over medum heat constantly until the mix is disolved and begins to bubble. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla.
I found that I could start with a whisk, but had to go to a different utensil to get all the edges of the pan. Definitely stay with it because it will thicken and scorch if you don't. Pour into serving bowls, cover with plastic wrap on top of the mixture, and chill.