White Bread

The Basic tenets of bread making are flour water, yeast that is it.  What you add after that it is extra
When you are going through these recipes remember fresh ground wheat flour acts differently then store bought flour. Do not be afraid of failure. 
Most failures come from bad yeast . I love Hodgens mill yeast but I also enjoy red star when Hodgens mill is not available.

1 1/2 c warm water
1 tbl spoon yeast
1 tsp salt
3-4 c flour

buy a nonbleached flour.  King Arthur is my favorite

follow the mixing and rising prompts in the post getting started. this recipe will make one loaf of bread.
bake at 400 degree oven if you want a crusty bread do no preheat the oven. Place your bread on the rack and bake 25-35 min. always variations because of location location location.

Also as you allow your bread to rise- do not rush it, in the recipes here I give approximate times, you are the best judge. One reason I give you photos is so you can see how it should look. Do not rush your rise, within that rise the gluten is developing flavor is developing. Your best loaf comes from taking time and let your creation create.

Brown crusty bread

It has been awhile since I have posted here. Basically I had nothing to add till now. There are many ways to have a very crusty bread. Egg wash, brush with water; these are good but I found a new trick that I have now been doing on all my loaves.
The rule has always been to preheat the oven to the desired temp for me it is 400 degrees. I no longer preheat the oven I slide my bread in and bake it till it is golden brown. To be sure it is done I stick a meat thermometer in it 190 is what it should be in the center. You know it is done and crust on the outside and chewy on the inside. Try this trick I think you will like the outcome.