Bread

I'm not a regular type of bread eater or baker. I like what used to be common in households, where bread was made from scratch in your kitchen, not bought from the grocery store in a plastic bag.

My momma made all our bread, rolls, and pasta, but she'd always revert to box mixes for cakes. I, however, want to and do make everything from scratch. Over the years, I've taught myself how to make English muffins, crackers, bagels, brioche, baguettes, ciabatta, cinnamon rolls, focaccia, popovers, scones, tortillas, and, of course, pasta, all from scratch. Why? Because I can make them without preservatives and for a fraction of what they cost at the grocery store. They taste better, and I know exactly what's going into my mouth.

So, where am I going with this topic?

We often recreate meals at home that we had in restaurants to see if we can make them ourselves. Keep in mind that we consumers don't have the same buying power as a restaurant; we aren't buying ingredients in bulk from a restaurant supplier. But you can definitely make those kinds of meals for less at home.

Invest in cookbooks from a reputable source, my ‘go to’ cookbooks for bread making are from King Arthur Baking Company (they know their stuff). My other source is Americas Test Kitchen, another very reputable brand.

Good food starts with fresh ingredients and a reliable recipe.