DU bread makers - I need advice on my bread

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21. I get either King Arthur or General Mills flours

And some of the other things, like the gluten and the cereal are Bob's Red Mill. I prefer the King Arthur, but my husband's great grandfather and grandfather worked for General Mills. His mother still owns General Mills stock that was part of his compensation, so my husband thinks of it as a "family" brand.

I know what you mean about the kneading - got my left shoulder completely rebuilt in 1993. That was the first time I stopped making bread and when I stopped making it entirely by hand. About 6-7 years ago I found a bread machine at a thrift store and started back making bread letting it do everything but the shaping and last rise.

Then I had to get the other should cleaned up and after it recovered found a vintage KitchenAid on Craigslist for $40. Since then, I've been using the KA to do the mixing and kneading. I've also had carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve relocation surgery bilaterally as well as both knees replaced so have not been as much in the habit of bread making as I like.

Both of us much prefer homemade bread over anything we can get at any store, including at most bakeries. When the Trader Joe opened, I bought one of their artisan loaves and was extremely disappointed. It was bland with little flavor, bad texture and not good at all. I fed it to the birds.

I'll make my own bread as long as my arms and back hold out!