How to Make Fresh-Baked Bread in an Hour

When it comes to dinner, I am so bad at planning ahead and timing. So very bad.

At four in the afternoon, I’ll turn my mind to what to prepare for dinner. Yes, that bad.

I have a bread machine and I do like using it to make fresh bread for my family.

The only problem is, it really takes 3 or even 4 hours sometimes for the bread to be kneaded, rise, bake and cool.

So many nights, fresh, hot bread would be perfect with our supper, but there’s just not time enough to make it.

Fleischmann’s has a new product on the market: Simply Homemade. Now, in an hour—start to finish—you can put fresh bread on your table.

It is so easy, my littlest child can do it.

The package contains all the ingredients you need: sugar, yeast and a flour mixture.

Choose from the four flavor options of Stoneground Wheat, Multi-Grain, Italian Herb or Country White.

Mix the sugar and yeast in a bowl and stir in a cup of warm water.

Let the yeast develop for two minutes and stir in the flour mixture. For the Italian Herb bread, the spices and seasonings are already incorporated in the flour.

Just stir, form into a loaf and cover in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. At the end of the 20 minute rising time, pop the loaf in the oven for 20 minutes of baking time.

Let it cool a bit on a rack, and voila, you have fresh, homemade bread in under an hour!

We love the Country White for any meal, but the Italian Herb was a fabulous compliment to our regular Monday night pasta. (I call it “Pasta La Vista”. Because You’ll Be Back for seconds.)

Fleischmann’s sent me a party kit to test out their new Simply Homemade breads with my friends.

We had a bread baking party with our kids!

While the bread was baking we snacked on fresh veggies and homemade dip.

When the bread was cool and cut, the kids selected their favorite topping. The hands-down favorite was the Nutella, divine on the warm Country White bread.

Mix up some cinnamon and sugar with softened butter and slather it on a slice of bread the child uses a cookie cutter on to make bread shapes. Pop the bread under the broiler until bubbly and golden. Few things in this world are better than cinnamon toast.

Fleischmann’s is having a great giveaway on their Facebook page.

To enter, all you have to do is bake up some of the Fleischmann’s Simply Homemade Bread and post a photo of your creation on Fleischmann’s Facebook page.

The first 1000 pictures entered earn a 50-cent coupon have a chance to win a Simply Homemade® gift basket valued at $100. Check out the giveaway on Fleischmann’s Facebook page.

I’m sold on the convenience and ease of the Simply Homemade bread. My only suggestion it to make sure the yeast is active. At the end of the two minute proofing time, it should look a little foamy.

I have three coupons for one dollar off one box of Simply Homemade. One commenter will will all three coupons. Stock up or pass them out to a friend or two.

Just leave me a comment to enter. I’ll draw a winner on Friday.

Which of the four flavors do you think your family will enjoy the most?

I was provided with a kit of Fleischmann’s product and promotional items to facilitate my honest review. All opinions expressed in this post are mine alone.

Edit to add: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Mrs. Messes. Please respond to my e-mail by Monday to claim your prize!