I used to skimp on kitchen small appliances, but once I invested in a Zojirushi rice cooker I was hooked! I’ve been expanding my Zojirushi items ever since.

I recently changed jobs and am trying to be careful budget-wise. However, Bed Bath & Beyond did it again and I saw a Zojirushi 1-Pound-Loaf Mini Breadmaker in the clearance section. It was brand new too – not a floor demo or anything! Clearly a sign that I had to add it to the collection.

I’ve only made banana bread so I was looking forward to experimenting with more traditional breads. Looking at the recipes in the instruction manual, the cinnamon raisin bread caught the eye of my stomach. I did have to purchase bread flour & dry milk, but had the remaining ingredients on hand. I loved the ease of measuring out ingredients and magically a couple hours later — fresh bread! The aroma was so tantalizing and it was fun to occasionally look into the clear top to see how the bread was progressing.

I did worry about it being an expensive rarely used appliance (looking at you, Kitchenaid mixer), but so far I’ve made one loaf a week. The honey bread recipe in the manual is also tasty. As a single lady, the 1lb-loaf lasts for a week of breakfast toasts. I’ve not used it for making sandwiches as I’d have to get better at cutting thin slices of bread. So far I’ve been enjoying thick slices of buttery toast with my coffee….