photo by startcookingkathy

DEAR SARA: I make bread in my bread machine frequently, but I can’t slice it thin enough to use as sandwich bread. I guess I just don’t know how to slice bread. Thanks for any help. — Tiffany, e-mail

DEAR TIFFANY: I used an electric knife until I bought a decent serrated bread knife. Look for a fiddlebow knife. It might help if you use a bread-slicing guide, too.
Side note: I get a lot of traffic from search engines looking for a bread recipe for sandwiches, so I’m adding one.

Sandwich bread

3 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp white sugar
2 TBS yeast (or 2 packets)
1 TBS salt
1/2 cup butter (or shortening or salad oil)
10 cups of flour

Instructions:
In a large warmed bowl, add 1 cup lukewarm water, 1 teaspoon white sugar and dissolve yeast. Let stand 10 minutes, then stir until yeast is dissolved. Then stir in 2 cups lukewarm water, 1/2 cup white sugar, salt, and butter. Beat ingredients, then stir in 9 cups of flour, adding them one cup at a time.

Once added, use additional cup of flour to flour countertop surface for kneading. Knead until dough becomes elastic, this should take several minutes (took me about 4-5 minutes).

After kneading, put the dough in a large oiled bowl and flip to coat both sides with oil. Loosely cover bowl with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place. Let it rise for 1 hour. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles and divide into 3 loaves. Shape into loafs and put into greased loaf pans. Cover pans with dishtowels and place in a warm area for another hour. Loaves should double in size. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

It is ready when it turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped! Remove from pans and cool on a cooling rack! –Sarah, Illinois

DEAR SARA: I can’t cut brownies. I always thought I was cutting them too soon, but even when they’ve cooled, I make a crumbled mess. What’s the secret? — Nina, e-mail

DEAR NINA: Do you line your pan with aluminum foil? That can help you lift the brownies from the pan so they’re easier to cut. Once they’re cooled, lift the foil and brownies to remove them from the pan, peel the foil off and use a pizza cutter to cut your squares. A plastic knife will work well, too.

DEAR SARA: I can’t get my son to eat meatloaf. He eats meatballs and hamburgers, so I don’t understand why he won’t touch it. Any ideas to get him to eat it? — Amanda F., e-mail

DEAR AMANDA: Try cooking your meatloaf in a muffin pan. Once it’s cooked, have him help you “frost” the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and add cheddar-cheese “sprinkles” on top.

DEAR SARA: Brand-name cereal is expensive, and my kids eat a ton of it. They don’t like a lot of the store-brand choices. I try to offer options like eggs, oatmeal and pancakes, but they still want cereal before school. Do you have any suggestions on stretching a box of cereal? I have added fruit, but they aren’t crazy about it. — Emily, Florida

DEAR EMILY: Try putting boxed cereal into an airtight cereal container. Mix the store-brand alternative with the name brand. Over time, gradually decrease the amount of brand-name cereal or keep combining them. Or you can do what I’ve done in the past. I have a saying: “You get what you get.” I don’t say it in a mean way. I say it so my kids realize they can’t always get what they want. For example, sometimes young kids want a certain piece of cake, like the end piece with the flowers. I would be mortified if my kids whined over it when they’re guests in another home. Teaching them to accept what they get is a lesson in being less picky.

DEAR SARA: Can I make my own brown sugar? I run out of brown sugar sometimes, and I need a quick substitute so I don’t have to run to the store. — Kelly Folts, New York

DEAR KELLY: You can make your own. Mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of molasses. Store it in a plastic zipper-type bag or airtight container. If it hardens, add a slice of apple to the container, and leave it overnight to resoften it.

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