Are you scooping your flour out with the measuring cup or spooning it in? I learned that you should use a large spoon to spoon your flour lightly into the measuring cup, then use a butter knife to scrape it level. If you are scooping it directly into the measuring cup, you are packing in almost twice as much flour as needed.

I'm not sure about the mixes, but I love these two books:

Bread Machine Magic by Rehberg and Conway
The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Hensberger

I have a Breadman machine and love it!

Hope this helps,
Janet

I will look into the books at the library. I am scooping the flour loosely with a measuring cup (I always stir the container first to fluff it up and give it a tap or two. Not sure why, this is just how my mom did it. lol), and this last time I weighed it to get the ratio with the water right. I eyeballed the 3/4 cup of whole wheat and the 2/3 or so white, measured with a 1cup measure, and the rest I went across the top with the back of a butter knife blade.

Hmmm....I've never had a problem with recipes.

You said you found directions online...did it include recipes? Usually, directions for a breadmaker include a variety of recipes designed to fit that breadmaker.

Here's one my dad adapted for a breadmaker (he was the breadmaker!) I don't remember how big a loaf it makes since I haven't used it in several years (not since I was diagnosed w/Celiac Disease).

White Bread

3 cups bread flour
1 pkg yeast
1-1/2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 Tbs margarine (I always used butter)
2 Tbs dry milk
1 cup + 2 Tbs water (I always used very warm water: 105 - 115 degrees F)

Honey Wheat Bread

(This one, IIRC, was a little large, but I don't remember it overflowing or lifting the lid!)

1-1/2 to 2 cups bread flour (play with it to see what amount works best for you; I used 2 cups)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 pkg yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 - 115 degrees F)
3/4 + 1/8 cup warm milk (105 - 115 degrees F)
3 Tbs honey
1-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 Tbs margarine (I used butter)

Bake this one a little longer...use one of the "darker" settings.

Note: This is a cool rise recipe, but it works in a bread machine as well.

I always dip & scoop and then level...I don't "add" any later if there's a slight settling when leveling.

Be sure to use accurate measurements, so use the correct size measuring cups & spoons...don't "eyeball it" or guess. That can make a difference!

I know nothing about bread machines but you might try posting over on the cooking forum. LOTS of experts over there, and I might add, they are very nice and willing to help.

Here is a link that might be useful: cooking forum

Oh, for cryin' out loud. lol

I got my wires crossed. I thought I WAS in the cooking forum. I will copy and paste my message over there, and we can just let this one go where messages go to die.

Thanks for the recipes though! I copied and pasted them, and I will give them a try.

Signed,

Super Dufus Sunny

Here is a link to the new thread in the COOKING forum, in case anyone else wants to say anything. Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking Forum

You need to get the user manual ... see the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Manuals for toastmaster HERE

I'm about ready to head off to bed, so I am too lazy to pull out my recipes, but you know, just thought I'd log on one more time . . . .

Whenever I use my bread machine, I end up with brick bread (what my family calls it) unless I use buttermilk. Trailrunner would be sooo happy. I have a recipe that I make with WW flour and oat bran . . . I'll pull it out tomorrow and put it down for you. But really, I'm going to log off and go to bed . . . . maybe I'll read a few more posts.

I am the non-expert so I will just give you one hint of what NOT to do:

Don't add raisins! I like raisin bread so I added a bunch of raisins to the dough. Maybe it was the wrong timing, but as the machine kneaded the dough, the raisins worked their way out and fell on the heating thingy. Lots o' smoke and a sticky mess. I ended up tossing the machine (not to mention the bread.)

Have you made butter in your machine yet? I'm assuming from its name that it can do it. My mother has an old machine that doesn't work for bread any longer, but she makes wonderful butter in it! It's a must-have for any special occasion in our extended family. Who knew that freshly churned butter could be so much better? (Well, we didn't, but now we do!)