I <gasp> don't own a bread machine. I find it so quick and easy to make
dough in my (um, not exactly a Cuisinart) food processor that I probably
won't buy one, much as I **love** "gadgets" and appliances. I do this all
the time .. here's how:
Measure dry ingredients into bowl and whiz them for a few seconds to combine.
You *can* include the yeast but I feel more comfortable proofing it each
time in warm water (I sprinkle it into the whole amount of water warmed to
110 in the microwave .. works just fine -- 1/1/4 cups takes 1'15" in my
oven).
With the machine running I pour the liquid somewhat slowly and watch the
dough form, smiling at the miracle about to occur. If I'm adding oil,
eggs, applesauce or some other liquid, I pour it partway through the water
so I can monitor the texture (or just add it to the water, I guess, but I'm
careful not to get it mushy from too much water, then impossible to get
out, have to knead in more flour by hand then and a pain to clean).
Basically, for most loaves, when it forms a ball, it's enough liquid.
If you're adding raisins, onions, herbs, whatever, add them now, not before
or they'll be pulverized and the color gets disgusting, to me, anyway
(Actually, unless I'm in a real hurry, I knead in messy add-ins by hand
after the first rise, before shaping .. like olives, for example).
Let it "knead" in the machine for 1 minute ... and that's it. It literally
takes 2-3 minutes total to make the dough.
>From there I put the dough in a lightly sprayed, covered bowl to rise (on a
heating pad on low), then shape into whatever I want, let rise again, and
bake. This technique has never failed and I've not bought bread since
discovering the ease of it. I always have 1/4 recipe bags of dough in the
freezer, etc. to make pizza, rolls, etc. I also sometimes make the dough
late at night and let it cold rise overnight in a plastic bag in the
fridge. The next day, the first rise is already accomplished and it saves
a lot of time. Geez, I love playing with dough .......... ;)
Good luck!
Katja