How to cook (an introduction)

Step 2 Basic building blocks

When cooking, you need to understand the basics. Cooking is just like playing with Legos, except not quite. ;-) For example, When I bake bread, I never measure things exactly. I always start out with the same basic "base" though. 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of hot water, 2 Tbs. oil, 2 Tsp. salt, 2 Tbs. sugar, and 2 Tbs of yeast. After I let that rise, I can do just about ANYTHING with my bread. I just add enough flour, usually about 3 more cups (but remember, you didn't measure perfectly for the "base"), and then I can make just about any bread I want. Cinnamon swirl, loafs, braided bread, etc.... And if I add, say, sweet potato's to the sponge (that's what the base is called) then I can make all sorts of fun things. if you make several sponges with different kinds of sweet potato's, then you can braid together three different colors!
See, with the same basic "base", I can make any kind of bread I want!
Some bread that other intructables user have made:
Honey Maple Bread
Butterfly Bread
Home Made Sourdough Bread
Rice Cooker Bread