California Garlic with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Bread

I could not disappoint my Facebook readers who requested bread instead of chocolate cake over the weekend. It was as if you knew that the bread recipe would taste so good and with butter, please! Maybe some of you read my mind. Not sure what it is, but I am glad to post and share the California Garlic with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Bread. So yummy!

If you don’t own a bread machine by now, I suggest that you seriously consider it. I don’t regret this investment at all. It is an investment because I am not adding any preservatives, the bread is fresh, and I can make bread anytime I want. I am eating healthier and having a bread machine beats going out in the cold to a supermarket or bakery. I have tried several bread recipes from my bread machine recipe book, and so far I have not had any disappointments.

The recipe is from my Bread Machine Baking Recipes book, the one that I always mention and written by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt. Not for advertising purposes but it feels great when you buy a recipe book, and many of the recipes are on point. I purchased this book a long ago, and I am finally enjoying the money well spent.

California Garlic with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Bread

The recipe for the California Garlic with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Bread is made with roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic. One variation tip mentioned in the book is to use fresh garlic for stronger flavor. I have not tried it with fresh garlic because I don’t quite enjoy that strong of a flavor. And who wants to have garlic breath after eating a slice? Not me.

You can use organic tomato-vegetable juice or non-organic. No difference. The only thing is you have to pay attention to the sodium content. I always use low sodium content tomato-vegetable juice because I need to manage my salt intake. (By the way, just in case if anyone is not sure, tomato-vegetable juice is V8) I also use kosher salt and organic sugar. I also prefer using bread flour instead of regular flour because it works out better for me. Both flours last me quite a bit of time, and I can calculate how much is needed and know when to buy a new bag of flour. I leave my regular flour for cooking or other baked goods. Bread flour is merely for bread and maybe pizza. That reminds me! I need to make pizza for my little munchkins.

Here is the recipe for the California Garlic with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Bread for the ones who requested it and the ones who did not. We would not want anyone to miss out!

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

California Garlic with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Bread

California Garlic with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Bread.

Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

1.5 pounds loaf

• 1 ½ cups tomato-vegetable juice room temperature
• 1/3 cup snipped sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 cloves roasted garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or organic sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 ½ teaspoon bread machine yeast

2 pounds loaf

• 1 ¾ to mato-vegetable juice room temperature
• ½ cup snipped sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 cloves roasted garlic
• 1 ¾ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 ½ teaspoon bread machine yeast

Instructions

• Measure ingredients into baking pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Insert pan into the oven chamber.
• Select Basic Cycle

Notes

Tips: for a richer tomato color, add the snipped sun-dried tomatoes to the water.
Use dry (not oil-packed) sun dried tomatoes
Same amount of yeast is used on both recipes.

Variation: For a stronger garlic flavor, use fresh instead of roasted.