Homemade bread can be dangerous.

@MarieCoyle The doctor kept griping at me because Pretty kept telling her I made homemade bread again, so I stopped making it. (I was pre-diabetic and have been for years, so the doctor griped... I don't see the harm in eating bread once a day, as long as I don't JUST eat bread.) Not making homemade bread is a punishment as far as I can see... It's easier to buy it than it is to make it. Pretty whines because I don't make bread anymore, so I remind her that she told on me every time I made it so I'm not baking bread anymore. I keep thinking the platter came with a pot of flowers on it but don't quote me on that. Our everyday dishes are clear with a fluted pattern along the edge. I have two full sets of it and we've used it since I bought it when I started getting divorced from Pretty's mom.

@DaddyEvil I limit myself on breads of course. I dearly love homemade bread and I’ve baked it for years—I always have flours and yeast on hand so it’s easy to do. We used Corelle dishes for everyday when all the kids were home. But I gave them to my oldest son and they use them now. I wanted to make new memories with the old Fiesta dishes. They are very durable and I love them. My oldest daughter has Fiesta dishes as well. They just make meals seem special. If the cost of a loaf of bread continues to rise, I think more people will be baking some.

@MarieCoyle I'm paying almost $4 a loaf for potato bread now. I never could make loaves. They never cook in the middle, so I've always made rolls instead. When I moved out of Mom's house, my first dishes were Corelle. They were white with gold decorations along the rim. We still have two of the plates but I gave the rest away years ago. I don't know why I still have two plates.

@MarieCoyle - I remember we bought in Milan when a store had a big sales as they closed. I have too many dishes, glasses, silverware, table clothes. I will prepare some boxes and call the charity.

@LadyDuck I had so many, I passed a lot of mine to the kids but I think I still have way more than I need. Purging the excess seems endless at times.

It seems there are a lot of people who have vintage Fiestaware dishes, Anna. I love mine.

@MarieCoyle I did make bread a way long time ago - it wasn't great. I remember making teddy bear shaped bread for Christmas gifts . . . but they turned out hard as rocks and I ended up giving them to the dog . I still have not bought a breadmaker yet - I would love to hone in baking bread the actual way. Artisan breads intrigue me. Interesting about instant potato flakes!! I am serious that your bread here looks amazing . . . you have that baking touch!!

@much2say I thank you for the compliment, but trust me, I've had flops! For some reason, if it's raining hard outside, my bread never rises the way I want it to, and it's heavy and rather flat. Others say the same thing, so I guess it's not just me. I make bread in the oven,, and sometimes in the breadmaker. When making more than one loaf, it just makes more sense to put it in the oven. The breadmaker does make kneading the bread much easier and less messy--even if I am baking it in the oven, I often toss it in there for a quick knead, it saves the hands and wrists, and makes less of a mess, too.

Honestly, bread isn't hard. Start small, and work up in skill. Get a breadmaker--it doesn't heat up the kitchen nearly as much as the oven does. I don't always use the breadmaker, I try to time things to the point that if the oven is on, I am using it to capacity and thus saving a bit of money. Yes, some recipes use mashed potatoes, some grated potatoes, and yet more recipes use dry instant potato flakes. I've done all of those, and there are good recipes for all sorts. You can do it if I can!

@MarieCoyle But nothing like home baked bread. One day I will too!!!

The US does not have the bakeries that it used to have. Grocery stores usually have bakeries, but not like the old ones that we were used to as kids.

@allknowing Cooking and baking can be fun as well as just plain therapeutic. I enjoy it a lot.

I love to inhale that homemade bread aroma...nothing like it in the world!

@MarieCoyle Yes. I buy a pound of baking yeast at a time. I put most of the yeast in the freezer to keep it in good order and the rest in the fridge.

@sallypup I have frozen yeast, too. It does extend the life of it when needed, and of course I don't want to run out of it, either.

@MarieCoyle Sounds delicious.

@BabeSays It really is very good. It's fun to vary the selection and we enjoy different breads for variety.

It's very good, and doesn't taste dry--the potato addition seems to keep it a bit more moist. Also, it toasts very well, and I love toast.

I had plain white Corelle for years and years. Passed it on and started using Grandma's Fiesta--because she wanted me to. I do love it. And yes, I think rye and sourdough are better on the blood sugars as well.

@MarieCoyle I think it would be worth the trip!

Well, hop on over here, and I will make you a loaf!

@AmbiePam Wish it were closer!

I do enjoy mine, even when I make breads I prefer to bake in the oven, the machine will knead the dough for me and that helps me a lot.

Both my grandmothers made most of their breads. My hands have mixed and kneaded many pounds of flour over the years!

Thank you, Marilyn! Yes, you ought to try it, it's fun and so delicious!

@MarieCoyle The best baguettes we ever had were in France. You just can't buy them like that here. A French baker in a small town that used to be close by (before we moved) would import his flour from France. He said our flour wasn't the same. I could have lived on bread and butter in France.

Sourdough is so, so good. My son in law goes in spurts with sourdough. He will get his starter going, make sourdough bread until he gets tired of it and keeping his starter going, then he is back to baking different kinds. He bakes the best rye. He also makes baguettes, and they are simply incredible!

@JudyEv I have to agree that Europeans made absolutely delicious breads. I could live on them as well!

It's so good, one of my grandsons really likes it nearly plain, with just a bit of butter on it.

I have many, many pieces of vintage Fiesta. One of my grandmothers' left them to me. I use them every day, she wanted me to. Thank you, Linda.

@MarieCoyle You're very welcome.

It sure never goes to waste around here, Judy!

It doesn't really taste like potatoes. Hard to explain, but it is a rather moist and dense bread, and slices very neatly.