Rapaire,

You have only half of that magical formula worked out: the other item needed for the house to smell absolutely perfect, in additon to the cooking soup, is bread baking.

Automation has it's place in the modern kitchen, and for many years now I've used a bread machine for some of my breads. In particular, I set it up at bedtime so there is hot bread in the morning for breakfast. But at it's best, the smell of hot soup or stew in the crock pot and hot bread in the bread machine when you walk in at the end of the day will revive you like nothing else.

This is my most commonly made bread (I used to make it by hand, but I modified my recipe so it now fits the large-volume bread machine). I'll list these in the order in which I place them in the bread machine (an old DAK, if anyone is interested, they were made by Wellbilt)

2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
3 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/3 cup warm water

I'm here alone this year, the kids are spending New Years with their father. So I'll go ahead and make a pot of soup and a loaf of bread just to pamper myself.

SRS