Bread makers

Have you ever made bread? How about sourdough bread or any other type of bread that requires a starter?

I've made bread. I even make my own pizza dough (you just don't go back once you've done this!)

Breads with starters....nope never have done this until now. Started the starter this weekend. We had to stir the starter twice a day. And of course, I had a helper.

She was the official stir-er for the starter.

The five days were met and it is time to make the dough and then bake the bread. Wow, this is an all day adventure!! After you make the dough, you have to make "old dough" to go into the starter mix. After you make this (I did this yesterday and it didn't rise, so I did it again today .....it has to rise for three hours, hence the reason I tried again on a new day!), you add it to the mix, knead your dough for ten minutes and then let it rise for two hours. After this, you punch it down and let it proof for another 1 to 1.5 hours....and then you bake it for an hour. See? Told you it is an all day event!

I want to make this work b/c my mother-in-law found this WONDERFUL sourdough bread, with cheese and jalapenos at a farmers' market....so surely I can make this, too, right? I'm on spring break, so I have the time.....if all goes well, this will have to be a weekend event!!! I don't think I can take off from work b/c I have to bake bread!! ha, ha