This isn’t the first time that I have heard of the chemical azodicarbonamide, the same ingredient used in yoga mats and shoe soles;  being used in the bread that consumers have been feeding their family.  Yes, lots of fast food chains includes azodicarbonamide to maintain the freshness of the bread, and increase the shelf life. My goal is to increase MY life span, live a healthy life, enjoy  and educate my grandchildren, great grandchildren and my extended family. I have changed my eating habits to accommodate a healthier lifestyle and is doing everything in my power to remove and avoid chemicals from my diet as much as I possible can.

With the recent scandal about the fast food chain Subway, using azodicarbonamide as an ingredient in their bread while claiming that their food is healthy, has motivated me to make my own breads. Heck, I’m already cooking just about everything from scratch. I know how to bake; so why not bake breads?

The first time I baked bread was in culinary school. My favorite was the brioche. I had absolutely no intention of making bread at home because the process seem so tedious: the kneading, the rising, the proofing….leave it overnight, finish it the next morning, Oh my gosh, all the different stages seemed so challenging. I told myself, that I would just stick with cooking and baking quick breads, pancakes, cakes, muffins etc.

Well since then I have invested in a stand mixer and I LOVE IT! I decided to finesse my bread baking skills and began with pizza dough. I was determined to get it right. I even bought a pizza stone. My first pizza even though it wasn’t perfectly round, was perfect for my family, who didn’t hesitate to devour it. I knew I was on to something.

This pizza dough from scratch gave me a warm time. I began the process early in the morning. Preparing the dough was okay. The yeast was active, I mixed the dough, let it rise, did the indent, punched down the dough and all the good stuff that goes into preparing the dough. But could I freaking make a CIRCLE with the dough? The dough ripped, then I started folding the damn dough like a croissant and rolling it out with a rolling pin. BIG FIGHT….LOLOLOLOL
I said, “screw it!” and just shaped the dough any which way how…..and alas….I made a somewhat rectangular shape.
IT WAS D’LUSCIOUS!