Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should (and Shouldn't!) Cook from Scratch to Save Time and Money by Jennifer Reese

Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Peanut butter

    • NicoleBrown on July 15, 2024

      Made a 1/2 batch because I needed peanut butter for a recipe and I was out. Worked well! I used avocado oil instead of peanut because that’s what I had on hand and I thought it tasted fine.

  • Almond butter

    • Christine on June 24, 2014

      I was a little afraid this recipe would burn out my food processor, but it worked like a charm. I needed almond butter for another recipe and had a package of slivered almonds nearing their "best by" date and this was the perfect way to use them up. I did not do the optional/recommended toasting step, but if I were planning to eat the almond butter as a spread rather than a baking ingredient, I think I might try it. Considering how fresh the end result tasted and how expensive almond butter can be, I will definitely make this recipe again -- and probably experiment with other nuts as well.

    • NicoleBrown on April 03, 2025

      Took a tiny bit more effort to make come together vs when I make peanut butter, but still super easy! I did need to add about a T of oil + salt.

  • Bagel chips

    • patience_d5a35z on May 09, 2026

      These are so great, there is no need to ever buy store bought bagel chips. I used mini bagels.

  • Hot dog buns

    • Tinala523 on January 30, 2022

      Really easy and really good. So much better than store bought buns!! Will definitely make again.

  • Pita bread

    • patience_d5a35z on May 09, 2026

      These were so good and easy. My dough didn’t rise as much as expected, so my pita breads were on the small side. Because mine were smaller, I needed to reduce my baking time by half. Definitely a repeat!

  • Cornbread

    • thefritschkitchen on January 14, 2016

      My go to cornbread. Fair warning - this is SWEET, and I cut the sugar almost in half. So, adjust accordingly.

  • Nutella

    • bwehner on December 16, 2012

      So easy & delicious. Reminds me of Nutella from years ago, before they messed it up with too much sugar.

  • Milk mayonnaise

    • SenseiHeidi on August 18, 2019

      I made this with almond milk. It worked, but it did not keep well. It reminded me of Lebanese Toum.

  • Eggnog French toast

    • sturlington on March 26, 2013

      A super-simple way to use up leftover egg nog, and it makes a very rich, sweet French toast to boot. Everyone enjoyed it for New Year's Eve breakfast.

  • Salsa

    • SenseiHeidi on August 18, 2019

      Great flavor! Used garden-fresh veggies & herbs. 1/2 jalapeno made it kid friendly.

  • Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce

    • SenseiHeidi on August 18, 2019

      Ths is our family favorite BBQ sauce.

  • Pop-tarts

    • helskitchenvt on July 10, 2016

      Not nearly as tedious as it might seem - and versatile because the filling can be many things plus they're easily frozen. Gosh pop tarts taste great, it's a "whole greater than the sum of the parts" thing. I used the rugelach dough from "Flavor Flours" to make a companion gluten-free version that was also delicious (I see that Serious Eats also has a gluten free option posted and I'll try that too).

  • Cheez-its

    • sturlington on December 15, 2014

      The dough was very crumbly and pretty much impossible to roll out. I ended patting it out and cutting it like biscuits. Will not make again.

    • helskitchenvt on July 04, 2016

      I'm not sure why the earlier note says the dough was very crumbly - maybe not long enough in the food processor? This recipe comes out perfect and irresistible for me every time, there's hardly a month that goes by that I don't make it (on a related note, it freezes very well).

  • Isabel's chocolate chip cookies

    • patience_d5a35z on May 09, 2026

      My kids loved these! I used white whole wheat flour, because that’s what I had. They baked up thin and slightly chewy. I refrigerated the dough overnight, as suggested.

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Reviews about this book

  • Oregonian

    The scope and utility... make it worthy of space in your collection... when you're looking for fast and interesting gifts to make in the kitchen. Plus Reese's honesty is refreshing and inspiring...

    Full review
  • Kitchn

    As a guide through the world of DIY-Everything, we can't do much better...full of no-nonsense recipes written in clear language and advice...an excellent read and an excellent kitchen companion.

    Full review

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • Mascarpone

    • Lisa Is Cooking

      It’s an easy process, and the cost, even starting with organic cream, is considerably lower than store-bought mascarpone.

      Full review
  • Espresso and mascarpone semifredo

    • Lisa Is Cooking

      It’s the kind of dessert that you have to make in advance which would make it perfect for a dinner party. It needs to be chilled in the freezer and then softened in the refrigerator before serving.

      Full review
  • ISBN 10 1451605889
  • ISBN 13 9781451605884
  • Published Oct 16 2012
  • Format Paperback
  • Page Count 304
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Free Press

Publishers Text

WHEN BLOGGER JENNIFER REESE LOST HER JOB, SHE BEGAN A SERIES OF FOOD-RELATED EXPERIMENTS. Economizing by making her own peanut butter, pita bread, and yogurt, she found that “doing it yourself” doesn’t always cost less or taste better. In fact, she found that the joys of making some foods from scratch— marshmallows, hot dog buns, and hummus—can be augmented by buying certain ready-made foods—butter, ketchup, and hamburger buns. Tired? Buy your mayonnaise. Inspired? Make it.

With Reese’s fresh voice and delightful humor, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter has 120 recipes with eminently practical yet deliciously fun “make or buy” recommendations. Her tales include living with a backyard full of cheerful chickens, muttering ducks, and adorable baby goats; countertops laden with lacto-fermenting pickles; and closets full of mellowing cheeses. Here’s the full picture of what is involved in a truly homemade life and how to get the most out of your time in the kitchen—with the good news that you shouldn’t try to make everything yourself.



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