I love bread!!!!!

6:30 a.m. 

Pot pot.... pot pot.... pot pot....

"Ay , Atul, nitan lay Benet... naka ta mangala kay sampulo ed si Kuyam ta mangaliw kay pandesal."  says my Mang to the house help. "On Atsi!" cried Manang Linda back.

This is a typical morning in the Mari household in La Union where I spent a number of my summer vacations... away from the hustle and bustle of city life in Manila and the walls of St. Theresa's College. 

So I would like to share with you my attempts to replicate Benet's Pandesal. My husband gave me a bread machine for mother's day 2 years ago... thanks to my friend, Liz who dropped very obvious hints so that it's very clear to husband J what it is I want.  Anyhoo, I am now the proud owner of a Sunbeam Bread Machine that I finally decided or had time to use.  My first recipe is Oatmeal Bread... which was a hit to JA and husband J.  My little JD has texture issues and I resolved myself to the fact that he is not a big fan of bread. 

Here is the recipe... 

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon dark molasses
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 large egg , lightly beaten
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons yeast, sprinkled over flour

Put oats in a mixing bowl, pour boiling water over the oats.  When the oats have cooled but are still a bit warm, add remaining ingredients to bread machine according to manufacturer's manual.  Bake on light setting.  Makes 1 1/2 lb loaf.

I am trying out Pan de Sal but have not perfected it yet... "Awww, it can't be that bad", you'd say... to which I'll respond... "Oh but it is... so bad, that JA asked me why I was baking rocks."