Hi,

My Mother Taught Home Economics

and it was MY Job (Growing Up) to Cook Dessert

for my 2 Persnickety brothers and Dad.

So I have Baked a Lot of Muffins, Cakes and Pies

and Have used a Dough Hook - When I was Making 6 loaves at a time.

STUCK AT HOME --

I've been Experimenting with my new 99.00 Bread Machine.

I just bought 25 Pounds of Bread Flour from Amazon.com - so I have a Lot of Raw Material to Practice with.

The cookbook that came with it is Boring.

So after cooking White Bread and Raisin Bread and BlueBerry Bread (A disaster) The Bread Turned Blue and Tasted Odd - Cuz The Bread Beater arm turned the BlueBerries to paste.

I Tried squeezing an Orange into the Bread. Not too good. I plan to Add A lot of Orange Peel Zest next time.

Since I am in the Middle of Splitting

up some wood I got from a Neighbor.

I had my 8 pound Sledgehammer Handy.

After Slicing up 3 Yellow Onions.

I Smooshed them up by hitting them Gently with the (Soap and water Washed) flat head of my SledgeHammer.

Worked Pretty well.

But You Have to Keep The Onions from Squirting onto the floor with Your Left Hand - While

You SMASH the Hammer into them.

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Here Are The Basic Steps

to Adding SLEDGEHAMMER SMASHED ONIONS to a Basic White Bread Machine Recipe.

I also got a Big Cast Item Wok.

***SLEDGEHAMMER

DIRECTIONS for The Onions and The Wok -

Step I - I Cut 3 Medium size Yellow Onions in Half. Removed the skin.

Step II - I took a Big Sharp Knife and Sliced and Diced one onion at a time.

Step III - With the SledgeHammer - You Want to Smash one Diced onion at a time. And Keep your Left Hand Close by. Cuz the Onions Tend To Shoot onto the floor.

Step IV - Next I put two Tablespoons of Olive Oil in the Wok.

Step V - Put the Temp on the Burner on High.

Step VI - Then tossed all 3 onions into the wok. The Oil was Red Hot so I stood there for 5 Minutes Flipping and Stirring the onions - until they were Browned.

Step VII - And them scooped the onions into a Dish to cool.

***BREAD MACHINE

DIRECTIONS (Plus My Instructions on Adding the 3 Onions to Basic White Bread)

Ingredients -

2 lb Loaf -

1 1/3 cups water

2 Tblspns Sugar - I used honey

1/4 Cup Butter or veggie oil

4 1/2 Cups Bread Flour

1 3/4 Teaspoons of dry yeast

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DIRECTIONS -

You Put all the "Normal" White Bread Ingredients into the Bread Machine

in the order they are listed.

I simply Dumped all 3 Browned onions in on top.

THIS WAS A MISTAKE.

Because While the Bread was Mixing And the Onions got Pulverized the dough got SQUISHY and WET.

So I added More Flour.

WHEW!

I thought I was All done. The Dough ball was not Sticky For The 1st Rise.

But when The Bread Beater Started up.

The Dough got wet AGAIN.

Added More Flour.

And AGAIN.

Added More Flour.

You Get The Idea.

I Got it PERFECT - After an Hour of Adding Flour over and over. (Why over and over? The onions Slowly got Pulverized. And the Juice released bit by bit.)

You Simply ADD FLOUR until the dough is not sticky when you LIFT the Lid and Poke it with your Finger.

NEXT TIME.

I will Reduce the amount of water by 1/3 cup - UP FRONT.

And will not have to Hover over the Bread for an hour.

Thanks,

Glenn Osborn

30 years Experience Baking Bread - And Ain't Afraid of Making Mistakes. Cuz you Can Usually FIX Them!

P.S. - I thought Someone here on the forum Might BENEFIT from My Mistakes.

And Get a Laugh - since we are all stuck at home.

P.P.S. - QUESTION - Has Anybody ever Baked "CHICKEN BREAD?" I'm Thinking if I Slice up a Cup of Chicken

and Toss it into The Basic Bread Recipe - I won't need to Make a Chicken Sandwich!