Herb Bread for Bread Machine
Prep Time
15 minutes
Prep Notes
This bread is very similar to the kind served at the popular chain restaurant Macaroni Grill --so yummy. You must have a breadman machine to make it. I've had my Breadman by Salton for over a decade and it has paid for itself many times over!
While we do not recommend eating white bread as a general rule, as with our cornbread recipe, we're providing it to satisfy the extremely occasional comfort food urge we all get from time to time. This is a great bread to serve for a holiday breakfast or dinner.
Cooking Time
Approximately 2 1/2 hours
Yields
2 lb. loaf
Ingredients
1 cup warm water
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon sea salt (Do not allow the salt to come in contact with the yeast at any time during prep)
2 tablespoons all-natural sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (we especially like Spice & Tea Merchants of Asheville "Spanish Arbequino EVOO")
2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon oregano
3 cups all-purpose flour (we really like the King Arthur brand)
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Directions
Add each ingredient listed above to bread machine in the exact order listed. BEFORE ADDING THE YEAST, make a shallow well in the flour with a spoon (do not go so deep as to reach the liquid ingredients). Add the yeast to the well. Close the bread machine lid and follow instructions for settings according to your machine's manual. Basic settings: 2 lb. loaf, Light Crust. This is a not a rapid rise recipe should your machine need that information -- it is considered a "basic white" recipe. The longer cooking time for this bread results in a light crust with medium internal bread density.
Notes
A great bread to use with a dipping oil or soup that has lots of yummy broth. Grilled cheese idea: Spread bread with Crow Bar Farm Foods "Tomato Jam," add cheddar and American cheese, butter the bread and grill until lightly browned. Delish!
Storing Fresh Bread: If the bread cannot be eaten within 2 days, slice it and freeze it; toast it when you are ready to eat it. Avoid storing it in the refrigerator! To store for 2 days, place cut side down on a wood cutting board. I usually just set it the microwave to keep it off the counter. Other options: Store in a bread box or brown paper bag.