The bake my own and save money plan has been successful

It’s a rough time to be a cheapskate these days. You can’t seem to buy a tomato or an apple for under a dollar each, which really gets my goat.

Unlike many other items in the pantry at home, I just can’t go and grow my own vegetables, partly due to practical reasons but chiefly because I couldn’t grow a wart on a toad on a dare.

Many of my ancestors were farmers, and it looks like they were pretty good ones at that. There’s a photo of my great-grandfather, well into his 80s, wearing bib overalls and extending a tanned arm to show off the giant tomato he’d just grown in his downsized backyard.

All those plant-growing genes stopped with him, at least as far as I’m concerned. There are eight pots of dying vegetable and herb plants outside my window.

Last week I eschewed the failed attempt at growing my own and saving money and turned to the kitchen, where the bake my own and save money plan has been much more successful.

Forking over $3 or more for a loaf of bread I can easily make myself for 25 cents and 10 minutes of actual effort made me swear off store-bought bread a long time ago. I’ve now made so many kinds of bread I give it no thought, like emptying the dishwasher first thing in the morning.

There was one remaining pricey holdout, and as I eyed the $4.50 package of bagels on the counter, I started reading up on how to make my own. It turned out to be stupidly simple, and the first try was successful.

Bagels are sort of a cross between a roll and a pretzel, and like the latter, they go into simmering water before they’re baked. Now I understand New York bakeries are going to have some pretty involved ways of making the perfect bagel, but this recipe, rounded together from several, gave me some really good, chewy results.

BAGELS

1 1/4 cups warm water. I find water just a bit less warm than you use for hand-washing is about right.

1 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast (buy it in bulk and save a lot)

1 tablespoon sugar

About 3-4 cups unbleached bread (higher gluten) flour

1 teaspoon salt

Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 1/2 cup of the water. After a couple of minutes, stir until dissolved. When foamy, add the rest of the water, the salt and 3 cups of flour. Mix by hand or machine, adding flour as needed until you have a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 5-10 minutes, working in as much flour as needed to form a stiff dough. Oil a bowl lightly and place the dough in the bowl, covered with a damp towel, to rise for 1-2 hours until doubled.

Punch the dough down, let rest 10 minutes and then divide into eight rough balls. Forming a “C” with your thumb and fingers, grab each ball inside and roll it around freely in this “C” until the ball is a neat sphere. With a floured finger, poke a hole in the center of each and stretch the hole to form a ring bagel shape. When all are formed, bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat the oven to 425 F while the bagels rest.

Reduce the water to a slow boil and carefully slip two or three bagels into the pot. After two minutes each side (one minute for softer bagels), remove to an oiled baking sheet. When all have been through the water bath, bake for 20 minutes, until golden.