Baking bread seems so much more intimidating than baking cookies, but it shouldn't! There's only two things that make bread baking seem scarier than cookie or cake baking, which are yeast and rising time. Both of these factors can seem scary. What if the yeast doesn't work? What if the dough doesn't rise enough? What if my kitchen is too warm and the dough rises too much? What if the bread comes out too dense? What if it's gross and crumbly?
Silence all of those doubts and fears and just go for it. Baking bread is rewarding and wonderful skill to acquire, and the only way that you can get good at it is practice, practice, practice. Here are five excellent bread recipes for beginners that will help you build up your bread-baking chops. If you're looking to cut out those bad white carbs, try one of the two whole-wheat recipes.
Basic White Sandwich Bread from The Kitchn
Baguettes from EatWell 101
Whole Wheat Loaf Bread from Five Heart Home
Rustic Italian Bread from For The Feast
Whole Wheat Crusty Artisan Bread from Well-Floured Kitchen
Any of these can be used for sandwiches, as an accompaniment to a salad or soup, or, when fresh out of the oven, as a vehicle for an excellent butter, compound or plain. If you haven't demolished the loaf within a day or two and you find it getting a little stale, make a Panzanella salad or some croutons. If you let it get past the point of a little stale, blend it up into breadcrumbs.
