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The main thing is your yeast. I would recommend SAF instant yeast, and once you get it, keep it in the freezer to prolong shelf life. Having dud yeast can make any recipe flop.

What are you looking to make? I have a couple of posts about making bread at home. The cinnamon roll one has some good information about tips/tricks/supplies you might find useful. I really love any recipe by Peter Reinhart. He is my bread god. He explains the science behind the cooking in a way that really allows you to both understand what you are doing and maximize your results. I'd be happy to match you up with a good starter recipe for whatever you're looking to make. On hand I have (that I made myself) a loaf of sourdough (just made some buttermilk Monte Cristos with it for lunch today!), and a loaf of rye with harvest seeds. I've been experimenting some with using sprouted wheat in a mash for whole grain bread and really have liked the results so far. The biggest thing is just have fun, and remember that it's a learning process and your technique will continue to improve. In the meantime, you can totally still enjoy the smells and tastes of your bread you made yourself.

Are you leaning towards the artisan in 5 style at all? I haven't really dabbled in that, but I do know some pretty good resources if that's a direction you're curious about.

I'm excited to know another baker! We should maybe start a support thread for bread making and share recipes and what's working and trouble shoot for one another. It'd be fun!

@coacheswife123: I bought a bread maker from Goodwill at first and then upgraded once I knew I liked making bread! Bread Machine Magic is a great cookbook.

@coacheswife123: I made bread for a minute there, with my KitchenAid. A bread machine sounds way easier, and I'd probably do it more if I had one, but I don't. But anyway, my bread always turned out well using the mixer to knead! And I found a tip suggesting to allow the dough to rise in a warm clothes dryer (which works great for us, as our dryer is in our kitchen!). This is the recipe I use (except for the kneading part, which I did in the KitchenAid, for about 10 minutes or so, with the dough hook, on setting 2.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/simple-whole-wheat-bread/?scale=36&ismetric=0

@locavore_mama: Yes-- it is on the blog. So far I've done cinnamon rolls and sourdough for yeast breads. I'll be doing some more in a bit, but, clearly, I don't post all the time.

As far as water temps go-- really hot water can kill your yeast, but if you're not in a rush and you trust your yeast (another reason I stick with the SAF instant and store in the freezer) colder temperatures (like tap, or even filtered water from the fridge) will retard yeast growth, but not kill them. So you are looking at a longer process, but should still get the same result. I often use tap water when making my bread, and often don't bother to make sure it's warm. I never temp it at this point. 110-120 will give you happy yeast, but they are flexible critters and they'll work for you at a wide range of temps. I typically make my dough at night, and let it rise in the fridge in a proofing bucket until I feel like dealing with it. That's one thing I love about making bread-- hands on time isn't crazy, and it's so low maintainance. I don't have to stress if I'm going to be home all day, or have it in the oven at a specific time. It's taken me a while to get that comfortable with it, but I love how you can use temperature/environment to speed up or slow down the process to suit your needs.

I've never used a bread machine, and have experimented with hand kneading. Ultimately I discovered I'm too lazy and so I use my mixer. One cool trick is to use the paddle attachment on low just until your dough starts to cohere and make a ball. Then stop the mixer and let sit for about five minutes (gives the water time to absorb into the flour and hydrate more evenly). Then switch to your dough hook and mix for about ten minutes on medium. You want the dough to register about 80F and pass the windowpane test. After a while you can basically just eyeball it; but it takes a few times to get to know what it looks like when it's ready.

Now I'm hungry. I've made the artisan in 5 bread a couple of PPs mentioned, and it was pretty easy and delicious. I make my own pizza dough using the Pioneer Woman recipe.

I make my own pizza dough and my own cinnamon rolls, but I would LOVE to get to the point where I make our own sandwich bread. I just run out of time though
I think a bread machine is on my next birthday wish list!!

@coacheswife123: my fave food blogger is an avid bread baker. I am not, but have tried her recipes a couple times, and even I couldn't mess them up. It's http://www.melskitchencafe.com

@looch, I make a no-knead bread when I'm in a pinch and it is SO GOOD! Most of a crusty bread, but perfect for dipping, etc.

This is a basic white bread that is fast and tasty. I like making one loaf plain, and then making one a cinnamon swirl loaf. All you need to do for the cinnamon variation is to roll your dough out into a rectangle after the first rising, brush with beaten egg (which the recipe calls for anyway) sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and raisins, and then roll up into a loaf shape, tucking the ends under. I knead the dough in my KitchenAid standmixer and then just let the dough rise in the mixing bowl covered with a towel. If you need a warm place to raise the dough, preheat your oven to 200 then turn it off.

http://bakerette.com/amish-white-bread/