The best thing since Sliced Bread
Is there anything better than the smell of freshly-baked, homemade bread?
Of course there is– the taste of freshly-baked homemade bread!
Luckily for me, Mommy CCV is quite the bread baker. Especially in the fall and winter months, she likes to come home from school (she teaches special ed) and pull out the bread machine. Now that I don’t live at home during the school week, I often miss out on that amazing fresh-bread smell… but thanks to weekend trips home (and some surprise mid-week deliveries) I still get to enjoy the source of the aroma!
Here’s one of my favorite bread-machine recipes:
http://www.vrg.org/recipes/breadmachine.htm (we usually use whole-wheat flour in the basic-formula recipe)
My mom likes to cut the loaf into reeeaaally thin slices so we get twice as many. After all, two breads are better than one 
Below are some CCV meals/snacks that incorporate the wonderful homemade bread:
With Quiche Soup (a variation of my Quiche Dip), raspberries, and one of my favorite meal-components: the ginormous salad (yes, I am fully aware that “ginormous” is not a word. But ya know what? It should be one!) with peach salsa (my favorite salad “dressing”).
*EDIT* Apparently, “ginormous” IS a word! (Thanks, Janet, for letting me know.) Ah, all is right in the world!
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With Scrambled Tofu, steamed purple cabbage, and a yumlicious apple (Gosh, I’m just making up words all over the place today!)
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With another ginormous salad (red and green Romaine, and purple kale),more quiche soup, and some frozen cherries.
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Snackie time! One slice bread, crisp apple slices, hummus, and a coconut-milk yogurt that I didn’t really like and thus ended up not eating. But don’t let my negative reaction to this yogurt deter you from trying it; I gave the rest to my mom, who was amazed that “it tastes just like regular dairy yogurt, if not better!”
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With Split-Pea Soup, steamed chard and mushrooms, and Whole Foods’ steak sauce (it’s vegan!)… Oh, and I mustn’t forget the little glass of almond milk!
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With chana saag (Jyoti saag, mixed with chickpeas), steamed mushrooms, and plump frozen cherries.
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Back to the quiche dip and salad; this time sliced cashews joined the party.
Long Live Homemade Bread!
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that Quiche Soup looks good!!
is it a more thinned out version of your dip?
Mmmm homemade bread! I want to get a bread maker so badly. I love all the different variations. Bread+apples+hummus was my favorite!
Awesome meals
I’m sure the bread is delicious!
That bread seems to be a real star!
I love homemade bread! Yummy soup!
this cracked me up! it’s like a photo shoot for your bread haha. but i have to agree, the taste is much better than the smell. i love love love homemade bread! and that coconut yogurt is one of my favorites! so tell ur mom that somebody else likes it, too. haha
There is seriously nothing better than fresh homemade bread
yummmmmm! i love homemade bread!
Hurray for homemade bread!
I use it all the time!
Ginormous is so a word
Oh fresh bread how I love thee so. I love putting it on over night and waking up to the most amazing aroma. It even wafts down the hallway and stairwell of our apartment complex!
I love your 1001 uses for homemade bread, everything looks delicious. Yep, Ginormous is a word! the dictionary says it is formed from combining “giant” + “enormous” (yeah, I’m a nerd with a dictionary at arms reach all the time, I proofread documents for a living, lol)
I feel the same way about the coconut milk yogurt…kind of a weird consistency and you can’t get away from the coconut flavor, in my opinion. I am still on the hunt for a good low-sugar soy yogurt, since as much as I try I just can’t do plain.
I dont think I have ever made bread it kind of scares me off.. I love the real homemade breads as they make the meal so much more enjoyable! Love the array of food choices!
Nothing beats the smell of homemade bread…except maybe homemade banana bread. All your meals look so delicious — I would really love a breadmaker! But I think I would be too lazy to use it. Your lucky your mommy makes bread. Ooh, here’s an idea: we should both marry men who know how to make bread and will do it for us!
VIVA LA BREAD
Love the ginormous salad, the yumlicious apple and the fantabulous bread! Everything is so awesomely awesome!
yumm! i love the smell of fresh baked bread! lucky you =D
I LOVE the smell of homemade bread, I think it is one of the best smells ever.
I’ve never tried apples with hummus but it sounds great and Amy’s Split Pea soup = most amazing soup in the world!
I’m not a bread fan, but like you, I love the homemade stuff. And one of these days, I’m even going to try making some!
Haha, I have that same habit of making up words *big grin*.
And YUM. I miss fresh bread. My mother in law decided it was time to steal back her breadmaker that I borrowed on a somewhat permanent basis *cries*
Vegan twin boys — good thinking!
And you crack me up.
Oh man- freshly baked bread sounds heavenly! Just one whiff of that aroma from the kitchen gets me craving carbs like mad!
you are right. the only thing that beats the smell of fresh baked bread is the taste of fresh baked bread.
mmmm… my favorite is tomato basil bread. its so yummy!
Oh I love coconut milk yogurt. I don’t know if you don’t like it in general or just that flavor but the blueberry one is really good if you up for giving it around try!
Mmm I love me some homemade bread! I actually can’t remember the last time I bought bread, as I’ve been baking a couple whole wheat loaves almost every week. I just need to learn sourdough and crusty French bread and we’ll be totally set. I like mine sliced extra thick so I can dip it in my soup without it disintegrating – yum.
I use ginormous all the time! Plus Will Ferrel used it in “Elf” which obviously makes it a real word
Now all I want is homemade bread. And I actually gave my breadmaker away years ago. I guess I could actually BAKE some, couldn’t I?
I reeeeally don't like So Delicious yogurt. Other vegans love them, so every now and then I'll try a new one (I haven't had the coconut) but I'm always disappointed. They're too thick for me, and super sweet! I like Whole Soy & Co and I even prefer Silk…
Bread looks awesome! I'm looking forward to baking again now that it's cooled off!
i love your chili pepper bowl! thats adorable!
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
I too love thinly sliced bread. It makes all the difference especially when you toast it, it gets super crispy and takes a lot less time. Ever made english muffin bread? Make it, slice it thin and toast it. You’ll never eat another bread again.
ah it must be lovely being able to have home made bread! All of your meals look really yummy!
I will definitely get onto that cookie and soya milk combo you suggested- it is a great idea!
I love homemade bread and the smell of freshly baked bread (on my bike to high school I used to pass a bakery – it’s a miracle I never got in an accident because of the head-turned-biking I did to smell it as long as possible).
The recipes on that website you linked to look delicious – hopefully I can try a few soon! Gingerbread, apple-cinnamon, pumpkin… a few of my favorite flavors!
So much deliciousness in one post! I love the idea of Quiche Soup.
I didn’t think “ginormous” was a real word, either… Haha. Didn’t stop me from using it, but good to know it’s an actual word!
I LOVE my breadmaker. I haven’t had store-bought since getting mine… Homemade is SO much better, and I love being able to control what goes in it!
hooray for homemade bread! it really is the best! at first dan & i were a bit scared & intimidated – but then once we make our first loaf we were surprised by how easy it was to make! it wasn't difficult at all. kneading the bread, waiting for it to rise – it was all really fun! we can't go back to store bought bread now! aahahahahaaa!
You lucky lady! You are absolutely right that there is nothing better than homemade or bakery bread. Mmm, I can taste it as I type…it’s so wonderful that your mom is enjoys making the best thing in the world!
Yes, isn’t it great that ginormous is a word? I use it all the time
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Wow! Homemade bread!! YUM!!
i LOOOVE homemade bread! i need to get a bread maker…
hope you have a happy wednesday!
i saw that coconut milk yogurt on someones blog recently so i bought it too and ickk not my fav either. i put some dark chocolate chips in it which tasted better, of course
love that quiche soup! frozen fruit is amazinggggg too- i got the idea from your blog! yumlicious 
Homemade bread sounds and looks wonderful! You are a very lucky daughter! I have never attempted to bake my own…I’m a bit nervous…
Katie, you are too kind. You know I would love to cook for you, anytime! Love you sweetie
And thank you for the recipe – I will have to try it with my never ending pumpkin puree leftovers!
Homemade bread is the best! So is Mamma CCV! Right on!
Hey–I’m making bread, too
I use a very similar recipe, except I usually blend unbleached white flour and wheat flour.
Salads look delicious, too!
My parents own a bread machine too – its always so satisfying to have fresh unadulterated bread, fresh off the vine, as it were. BUT for some reason, my Dad absolutely loathes (no pun intended :p) the smell of the baking breadmachine bread – he reckons its nothing like the smell of a bakery – something in the instant yeast perhaps?? How authentic does your bakery smell?
There is nothing better than to walk in the door and have the smell of fresh baked bread. I can’t wait to feel better and make some.
Yes, they DO sell Pei Wei-type tofu in stores! There are multiple international/global food stores that have it here… I would look at an Asian market if you have that, also. OR you could just walk up to the to-go counter and ask for a side of tofu (uncooked). It’s a button in the computer, and they’ll only charge you $2 plus tax! I have no idea if you can buy it online.
YUM!
(I meant walk up to the to-go counter at Pei Wei, not at the grocery store…hehe.)
Ginormous is absolutely my favorite word ever! It made my day that you used it!!
Your bread meals look incredible… Freshly baked bread is the best, indeed… Great vegan bread minds must think alike, because I just posted about baking bread…
Complete with a vegan version I like better than the non vegan version! Vegan bread rocks!!
(and so do your beautiful salads!! Could you send some my way please?
yummm. there is seriously NOTHING better than warm freshly baked bread!
Hi, I think this is my first comment. My question is about the bread baking. Does she ever try the recipes in the oven? I like the recipe, but don’t have a bread machine. Do you (or CCV mom) know how that goes?
i love home made bread. i’m not brave enough to try anything beyond quick bread, but that’s okay. i’ll get over my fears soon enough. i really love the way you present your whole meals!
yumm theres nothing better than homemade bread..especially done by your mom!
haha makes me want to go hommmme!
Yum, I don’t know what’s better than warm bread from the oven. Man, I love me some homemade carbs, haha.
Home baked bread is the best. We have a new oven, so I’m gonna bake some bread as soon as I get some time.
Andrea—
Especially now that summer is ending, I’m making sure to stock my freezer up with fruit. That way, even in the dead of winter, I’ll still be able to enjoy some nice summer-y cherries, figs, honeydew, cantaloupe, etc!
Jen—
I never was a big dairy-yogurt fan, so that’s probably why I didn’t like the coconut milk one. I just don’t like the sour-ness. But maybe I will get up the courage and try the blueberry one! Thanks for the suggestion.