I recently was very lucky at an estate sale. I went on a whim in the last hour of the last day of the sale and scored this:
It’s a Hitatchi B-B101 bread maker! And guess how much I paid?
$1.00!!!!!
I was nervous when I got it because there was no instruction manual. But, by the power vested in me by Google, I was able to find a PDF that someone had scanned online. And I’m not one to shy away from any DIY adventure, cooking or otherwise.
I have never made bread before. In fact, in the past the concept scared me because of all the complicated recipes I’ve read detailing how it has to rise perfectly and the wait time, and if you want sourdough bread that you should find someone else who makes it so you can get their “starter” stuff (whatever that means). But I figured the machine can’t mess it up too much.
So far I’ve had fabulous luck! There are a lot of amazing recipes online. Italian herb, honey wheat, and cinnamon raisin recipes that I tried have all come out amazing. I’ve made about six loaves so far, each one absolutely delicious.

I was nervous that with having tasty bread in the house both the man and I would eat more and put on weight. So far, though, no extra pounds! So I’m continuing my bread making addiction. The plus side? Each loaf costs about $0.60 to make.
This past weekend I visited my mom and she surprised me with an all expense paid trip to the grocery store. And this, by far, is how you know 1. your mom is awesome and 2. your mom fully supports your new found habit.