I'm so lonely. Nobody around here pays any attention to me. Don't they know that I can bring a little warmth into their lives? Why do they ignore me so? Just give me a chance, I promise that I'll rise to the occasion.

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm an Oster bread and dough maker. My purpose in life is to bake hearty delicious breads, to nourish you and warm you up. But lately, all I seem to do is sit around on the kitchen counter collecting dust, and taking up precious space. You see, my owners don't pay much attention to me any more. I don't know what I did wrong, but I'd sure like a chance to make up for it.

You see, the man that lives here spotted me in a store one day. When he came over to see me, it was love at first sight. He became obsessed. He would come back to the store at least once a week, just to say hi and see how I was doing. Finally, the woman who accompanied him to the store, got sick of visiting me, and decided to bring me home with her. I was this man's birthday surprise.

Oh, the look on his face when he opened my box. He was elated, and so was I. The woman was kind enough to purchase a few dough mixes, and soon he and I were warming up the house with mouth watering aromas. We made such a good couple. He with his flour, salt, sugar, eggs, butter, and yeast.... Me with my LCD display, baking chamber, viewing window, and heating element. It was a whirlwind affair. We baked together like no other couple could.

Alas, the courtship came to an end. One day, he just walked right on past me, and never gave me another look. Oh sure, the woman has used me a few times. But, I miss the affections of the man for whom I was intended. I don’t understand his distance. I have so much to offer him, why does he not see.

I am very beautiful. Any man in his right mind could see this. My measurements are: 14 inches tall, by 13 1/2 inches long by 9 inches wide. Quite shapely, if I don't say so myself. My finish is a glossy enamel, and I have a window on my lid to see the precious bread baking within me. I have an LCD display that you can use to control many different things. The digital part shows you what mode I'm in (rising, kneading, baking), as well as how much time is remaining in the bread making process. It has some preset modes that you can choose for different bread types (wheat, white, sweet breads, etc.). There are also buttons for timing your own bread recipes (by hours, and minutes). You can even choose whether or not you want me to bake the bread light or dark, or if you have a small or large loaf. Plus, I have a stop button. This button is an override for everything. It will stop me completely in my tracks, in case you've forgotten to add something to my mix.

I am also very easy to use. If you open my lid (which has a steam vent on it), you will see a removable bread pan, which is made of cast aluminum. This pan inserts firmly into the bottom of the baking chamber, and removes easily for cleaning. Inside the pan, you will find a kneading blade. I use this to mix together the flour and stuff that you put in the pan. Then after it's mixed, I will use it once again during the rising process. My bread pan also has a handle, so you will be less likely to burn yourself when you remove it.

Underneath my bread pan, you will find my heating element, and the little motor that runs my kneading blade. Please be careful with these two things. It's because of these items that you need to just wash me down with a damp cloth, instead of immersing me in water. That's why the removable bread pan is so great. You can completely wash that, and you are assured that your bread will be baked in a clean place.

So, as you can see... There is so much of me to love. I can find no possible reason for the distance that this man has put between us. I can only sit here and think about the good times we had. I dream of the day that he and I will bake together once again. I can still smell our favorite bread. I remember well, the recipe from my owners manual:

Potato Bread

1 1/4 cups water
2 tblsp margarine or butter
3 1/4 cups bread machine flour
1/2 cup mashed potato mix (dry)
1 tbls sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 3/4 tsp regular active yeast or
2 3/4 tsp bread machine yeast (quick acting dry yeast)

Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan. Insert the pan into the bread machine, and close the lid. Using the controls, select; bread type (white), color (light), rapid cycle, loaf size (large), and then press start.
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Yes, I remember it well. Just like it was yesterday. I would beep to tell him that I was done, and he would come running. I can still see the passion in his face as he would bite into a steaming hot, freshly buttered piece of bread. I miss those days.

I hope they will discover me again. But until then, I sit here dreaming of breads that are yet to come. Maybe if they see this review, they will remember that I'm here, waiting to once again make them all warm and happy.


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