Hungry for bread while supplies are low? Make your own.

A shortage of bread, meat and eggs has sent shoppers all over the Coast on a virus-imposed scavenger hunt. While most can’t make meat from scratch at home or hatch eggs, bread and baking are tasks they can do and with few ingredients.

Vicky Davis Burge, a former Mississippian who now lives in Texas, shot me message on how to do no-yeast bread.

“I don’t have any yeast, and bread is hard to find,” she said. “Do you have a no-yeast bread recipe?”

Another teacher friend messaged, “I wish you were here. I have some bananas and I want something sweet, maybe a cake? I am not too good at baking, but something simple.”

Others have asked for no-knead yeast breads or rolls.

Once again, baking is not brain surgery, but the ingredients should be exact. In other words, follow the recipe.

Some folks have a fear of bread-making. It is not hard, but certain tools and ingredients are needed. A must have is a cooking thermometer. For most yeast breads, the center must be warmed to a certain temperature and should be checked with a thermometer.

Other items include a loaf pan, wooden spoon, a large non-reactive bowl, flour, salt, yeast, water, sugar and sometimes eggs, depending on the type of bread being made.

Yeast, as Burge said, has been in short supply. If yeast has been in the pantry for months, toss it out and try to find a new package. Old yeast can’t rise.

A bread that is fun to make and not too difficult is challah bread, a Jewish bread that can be made in various flavors. Eggs are required. The basic recipe is good, too. This bread is traditionally shaped into a braid and not only tastes good but looks great.

Beer bread requires flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and 12 ounces of beer or even club soda. A three-ingredient beer bread starts with self-rising flour, a must; sugar and 12 ounces of beer.

A no-yeast bread uses baking powder and baking soda combined with vinegar to rise.

Easy beer bread

3 cups self-rising flour

1/2 cup sugar

12 ounces beer

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Spray bread pan or loaf pan with cooking spray.

Gently mix the flour, sugar and beer until it is thoroughly combined. The batter will be thick. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake 40 minutes.

Take out of the oven and let sit for 5 minutes in the pan, remove and let cool completely before slicing.

While bread is still warm, butter may be spread over loaf.

Nutritional data per 1 slice: 171 calories; 39 carbohydrates, 1 gram protein; 480 milligrams salt; 42,2 milligrams potassium; 1.2 grams fiber; 10.6 grams sugar; 72 milligrams calcium; 1.3 milligrams iron. – www.simplejoy.com/

No-yeast bread

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar, double this amount if desired

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tablespoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups water, room temperature

2 teaspoons vinegar (cider or white)

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the water and vinegar. While stirring, add the water mixture to the flour mixture. Stir the mixture until a dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.

Shape the dough into a flat, round disk no more than 1 1/2 inches high. Place the dough on a baking sheet or pizza pan. Dip a sharp knife into flour then cut an X or #on top of the loaf.

Place the pan in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and the crust is firm. If desired brush the top of the loaf with milk halfway through the baking time for a softer crust.

When the bread is done, remove it form the oven and while still hot, brush it with the melted butter. The butter adds flavor as well as softening the crust. – www.Cdkitchen.com/

Challah

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

1 large egg

1 teaspoon cold water

1 tablespoon sesame or poppy seeds, optional

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oil, sugar, salt, eggs and 4 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover ad let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Divide each portion into thirds. Shape each piece into a 15-inch rope.

Place 3 ropes on greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Beat egg and cold water, brush over braids. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Nutritional data per 1 slice: 137 calories; 5 grams fat; 33 milligrams cholesterol; 232 milligrams sodium; 20 grams carbohydrate (3 grams sugar, 1 gram fiber) 4 grams protein. – www.tasteofhome.com/

Coming next week: Going bananas

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.