it’s easy! and so much more fun to get some kneading action instead of being lazy and having a machine do it for you.

update: found this bread machine capacity conversion thing, if you want to make bigger/smaller loaves than I do when using the machine.
I haven’t tested it yet, but it looks pretty accurate.

you want to proof the amount of yeast needed and the sweetener in warm water for 10 minutes before starting the rest of the process. note: it’s best to use pyrex or ceramic bowls rather than metallic ones since they can interact with the yeast’s job.

once that’s done, throw in the rest of the ingredients, adding the flour little by little, mixing with a wooden spoon.
as soon as it gets too tricky to mix with the spoon, place the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface and start to knead for about 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
note: you might need more or less flour than what is called for. you’ll know by the feel of the dough. that’s why adding the flour little by little is a good way of doing it. you don’t want your dough to be too sticky, so feel free to up the total amount of flour if you have to.

place your dough in a lightly greased large bowl, turn the dough around so that the sides are lightly oiled, cover it with a damp towel and let rise for 90 minutes in a warm, non drafty area. preheating your oven to its lowest temperature for 1 minute is definitely a good solution for your dough to reach its full rising potential.

Jackie added this awesome tip to the comments:
“I also have a tip I learned from a bread-baking book. If you don’t want to preheat your oven for one minute to get that warm temperature when letting your dough rise, you can set a shallow bowl or pan of boiling water on the bottom rack with the bowl of dough on the upper rack, and leave it in there while your dough rises. I believe this technique is called “proofing the oven.” I’ve used this technique many times as I have a really old and crappy gas oven and the temperature settings on the knob have all worn off. It’s always worked well for me :)”

once the dough has doubled in size, you want to punch it down and shape it in the form you want your bread to be. place it in a greased loaf pan/on a greased baking sheet, cover with towel again, and let rise for another 60 minutes.

about 30 minutes before the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 350F so that it gets to reach the right temperature. it takes longer than what your oven might tell you, that filthy liar!

bake your bread anywhere from 30 minutes [think: baguettes, medium loaf], up to 1 hour [big loaf], depending on the shape you decide to go for. aim for a beautiful golden crust. tapping the bottom of the bread should make a hollow sound, an indication that your bread is done. if you want to be absolutely sure it’s done, use a thermometer and check that the insides are at 200F.

remove your bread from its pan as soon as possible, to avoid getting a soggy crust.
let cool on a rack and let cool as much as possible before attempting to cut, otherwise it might tear up.

now pass the Earth Balance and let’s enjoy the fruit of your labor. :D