• Review bread machine basics.

Bread machines have become increasingly more affordable, and thus, more popular. If you have a bread machine and know how to use it, you can have homemade bread anytime; all it takes is a little planning. Bread machines come in all types and price ranges, but the basic concept behind all of them is the same—to help you enjoy bread with little effort.

Bread machines can be as versatile as you can imagine. You can make dough for pizza, cinnamon rolls, or dinner rolls ahead of time, and then all you have to do is the assembly. You can put the ingredients in the baking pan in the evening and set your machine on a timed cycle so you have warm bread for breakfast the next day. Again, the possibilities are endless. For more ideas, look at the recipes in Betty Crocker’s Cookbook or check out web sites for bread machine recipes.

The idea behind a bread machine is that you add the ingredients into a type of baking pan where mixing, kneading, and baking all occur. Many bread machines still produce a loaf that doesn’t really resemble a traditional bread loaf. There are newer bread machines, however, that have a more oblong pan, producing a more rectangular loaf. If you want the look of a traditional loaf, you can always just mix the dough in the bread machine, then shape it in a loaf pan and bake your bread in the oven.

You need to be aware of a few basic rules about bread machines. First, make sure you correctly measure the ingredients in the order specified by the recipe. Before you put the ingredients in the pan, make sure the kneading hook is in place. Also, once the rising and baking cycles have started, do not open the bread machine to check on the progress of your bread, as this will alter the temperature inside the bread machine. You should, however, open the door of your bread machine during the first kneading cycle to make sure all of the ingredients are well-incorporated into a dough. If not, you may need to use a rubber scraper to scrape ingredients from the side of the pan, helping the mixing and kneading process along. As with other yeast breads, bread flour will create better loaves than all-purpose flour.

As with any small appliance, follow the instructions in the user’s manual of your bread machine for specific details on recipe variations, bread baking cycles, cleaning and storage of the machine, etc.

• Betty Crocker’s Cookbook: Read bread machine tips found in Yeast Bread section.