All posts in: Bread Machines

Reduce sodium one slice at a time


There's another reason to banish bread from your diet besides your attempt to reach your goal weight: Lowering your sodium intake. In a list of top 10 sources of salt in the American diet, bread and rolls came in at number one, accounting for more than twice as much sodium as salty snacks like potato chips and pretzels, which came in at the bottom of the list, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Flour power: Choosing a bread machine


If you prefer fresh-baked bread over the store-bought variety, you might want to invest in a bread machine and make your own. In addition to producing loaves, some bread machines can make pizza, pasta and bagel dough -- as well as meatloaf, jam and even butter. There are many different kinds of bread machines on the market, and they're uniquely designed to suit individual needs. Here are some tips to help you decide on the bread machine that’s right for you.

Pop culture: A closer look at popcorn poppers


It's fluffy, it's crunchy, it's mandatory for movie night. Yes, we're talking about popcorn. Ever wonder how it's created? To learn the answer, we picked the brain of The Popcorn Board, (a national non-profit organization funded by popcorn makers). What we learned: Popcorn kernels contain a tiny droplet of water, which, when heated, expands and causes kernels to pop, releasing their starchy interior from their sturdy outer shell. How exactly you transform this hard nugget into America's favorite light, white snack is totally up to you. To achieve more perfect corn, most consumers use popcorn poppers. Under that umbrella, there are currently four main options: hot air, electric, stovetop, and microwave poppers.

Does Kohl's $40 Black Friday breadmaker rise to the occasion?


This is the first Black Friday deal we've seen for a breadmaker: Kohl's, in its leaked circular, is featuring the Oster 5838 ExpressBake at an advertised price of $40. However, read the fine print and you'll see that you'll actually pay $60; the $20 savings comes in the form of a mail-in rebate. If you're the type that sends in rebates, it's not a bad deal, but if not, there are better deals out there on better breakmakers.

The deal: Oster 5838 ExpressBake Breadmaker for $40 (after $20 rebate)

The verdict: A good deal if you're diligent about mailing the rebate

Your daily bread


Ask anyone who's tried -- and failed -- to make bread from scratch, and they'll tell you what a challenge it can be. Bread machines take the guesswork out of that process: Simply add all the ingredients, choose your setting and forget about it. You can use a bread mix or combine ingredients from scratch, and most bread makers can produce everything from basic white loaves to hearty wheat and dough for bagels or pizza. More sophisticated models, like the Zojirushi BBCC-X20, which earns the ConsumerSearch nod for best full-featured bread machine, can even prepare non-bread items like jam or meatloaf.

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