The Pros and Cons to Homemade Bread

I have had several conversations with countless people about my mission to save money on my grocery bill; and more specifically the fact that I make our bread.  I have a friend that called me "Amish".  Skeptics have said that homemade bread doesn't save money.  I beg to differ.

PROS - After doing the math, each loaf costs approximately 30 cents.  It is healthier (no preservatives), smells yummy when baking, and makes GREAT toast.   Breadmakers are helpful in making dough and  funny shaped loaf in a hurry.

CONS - It takes time.  It has a shelf life (which is lengthened in the fridge, but still...).  When kneading, you might build a muscle or two you didn't have previously. 

For Thanksgiving this year, I used my leftover homemade bread for the stuffing by adding fresh herbs (being used for the turkey), celery, butter and onion.  After Thanksgiving, I made a Turkey Vegetable Soup with Stuffing Dumplings, re-purposing the stuffing once again.  When all is said and done, that 30 cent loaf I made went quite a long way!  (So did that turkey!)

I generally use one of my homemade mixes to quicken the process of my breadmaking, but found a great recipe that I've used in the past to share with you.  For those of you that own a breadmaker, this recipe is a great stand-by for white bread.

In short, the pros outweigh the cons in our family.