Baking Bread Loaves - $.38 Each

Okay, I know some naysayers could quibble about the price, and I've got the oven on, etc.  (Hey, I have to make sure it still works, since I hardly ever use it otherwise, except for my lovely spinach frittatas, but that's another story.)
But remember the basic premise here:  If it's not super easy to make the change, it might not work for me, and this is definitely working.  So here's the scoop:  The basic bread recipe:  Going all through the internet since last year or so, I think Oprah had it on, definitely it was in Mother Earth News, and now a newer set of recipes, using more whole wheat flour, but again, that's another post.

It's the easiest recipe ever -- I don't even have to look it up to share it with you, which makes me feel very chef-like --  6 cups water, 3 T yeast, 3 T salt, 13 cups all-purpose flour (and let me tell you, you don't even have to measure this --  just use the entire 5 lb package (which Trader Joe's sells for $2.99, hence my pricing.)  Add yeast, then salt to water (approx 100 degrees, etc).  Then add the flour, mixing it altogether, but not actually kneading it even.  Put into containers at room temp for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, loosely with a lid, to allow for expansion.  Then, in my case, make your first loaf or two, before storing the rest in the refrigerator, loose lid, for up to 2 wks or so.

No mess, no fuss, nothing.  So scoop out a grapefruit sized ball of dough, tucking it under itself, place on cornmeal-sprinkled pizza peel and let warm up.  Bake 30 min in 450 degree oven.

We're even remembering/managing to have sandwich-sized slices ready to go for sandwiches in the morning!  (As in, this is working.)  And don't forget - the pricing --  Not only do I know EXACTLY what's in my bread, but $2.99 divided by the 8 loaves it makes is $.38 cents a loaf.  If this price ever existed in my lifetime, it was certainly before I was old enough to be shopping and comparing prices.

A win-win, plus my house smells like fresh-baked bread, and for less time than it takes to run out to the store to buy more bread.  Soon I'll begin incorporating some other flours into the all purpose flour.  (Of course, then I'll have to measure the flour into the recipe again - compromises, compromises!)

Oh, and guess what else I just learned?  You can make pizza dough with it as well --  we'll be trying that out very soon!