I was hoping to have a series of organized posts, mainly pictures–few words, documenting the process of me conquering my fear of bread making…I should have known better. The FIRST (of what I hope to be many) eight hour increments, brought with it disaster ONE.
First thing this morning–Dough. Which was looking/feeling a little sticky (do you say tacky in the bread-making world?) to me, but I shrugged it off. “I have been uber precise,” I told myself, “there’s no way this is wrong.” Jeremiah is having his breakfast/coffee without me, but it’s ok, because this morning, I am a bread-making wife. Reach around and pat myself on the back.
Add to starter (Which, BTW, this isn’t sourdough bread, as some of you have been hopeful for. Maybe I should have tried that instead :)). Cover it all up, warm and snug, to rise and react for the next 6-8 hours.
Let’s get a time check for COMPLETION, shall we…
Pat myself on the back again for my dedication to the bread. Put my camera down, and notice a faint hissing and popping noise, new to my kitchen. I turn around to my little safe bread operation and find THIS:
Try to resist the urge to cry. Shoo Jeremiah out the door, hoping that he doesn’t notice. Try to figure out WHAT IN THE WORLD I’VE DONE WRONG THIS TIME?! And discover this: 
Maybe you even noticed it in yesterday’s post! These aren’t just plain ‘ol potato flakes–they already have the mashed potato mixings dried in. Butter and milk! How was I to know? I feel like I’ve been punished for mashing my own stinkin‘ potatoes all these years!
So, I set my starter in the sink, to hiss and ooze out of its container at will. And I went to console myself by pouring a cup of coffee, opening my book, and smothering the only type of bread I, apparently, can make, with honey…
…a canned biscuit.
This makes me both so happy and very sad. I JUST threw out my sourdough starter about 30 minutes ago! I killed it!
I'm glad though, that I'm not the only one bread baking challenged. I am going to keep trying and maybe a different recipe. You should too! I'm determined.
Keep up the good work.I learned how to make bread at a church event last year. It's somewhere on my blog in mid-2009…it worked wonderfully and it took only 2-3 hours instead of 8 like yours. You might want to check it out.
Shooing Jeremiah out the door…classic!
I've also heard that you shouldn't use metal bowls/utensils. I made cinnamon rolls a few years ago and they never rose right and that's what I was told I did wrong at the time.