Daughter here. One thing I keep an eye open for at thrift stores is bread machines. More often than not, they were never opened/used, and just gathering dust in someone's closet. They are a great time saver, and if you are like me, it'll save wear and tear on your shoulders, since it does the kneading for you. You still have to monitor it, and adjust the recipe to that day's humidity, but it can be a "set it and forget it" kind of thing.
Personally, I rarely actually bake the bread in the machine, and just use the dough setting. I'll punch it down, shape, and set it for a second rise in a loaf pan, and bake in the oven. But on a busy day when I have a lot to do and I forgot to get the bread started before dinner, I will use the bake setting. The only downside is that there will be a slit in the bottom of the loaf from the mixing paddle.
This is a basic white bread recipe. No frills or anything, and it can be made without a bread machine, you would just have to activate the yeast before starting. Most bread recipes can be converted to a machine recipe. You just need to put the ingredients in the mixing pan in a certain order, just like in this recipe. It's typically liquids first, like water, milk, eggs, salt, sugar, and the fat being used, flour on top of the liquid mixture, and, in a divot in the flour, the yeast.
Ingredients:
1 cup hot, but not boiling water (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit)
1/4 cup of oil (vegetable or grapeseed is what I use)
1 1/2 Teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 Cups bread flour (All Purpose can work, or a mixture of Whole Wheat and White Bread flour, but all whole wheat would need more water added to the mix. In our house, we use King Arthur brand, since it is not enriched flour. If whole wheat is in the mix, you will need to add more moisture.)
3 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast (This is more than what is in a packet. I buy the little jars of it at the grocery store, and keep it in the fridge once opened. It rarely fails to rise for me, unlike the packets.)
Put the ingredients in the machine's pan in the order listed (wet, dry, then yeast). If your machine has different loaf size settings, this is somewhere between a 1 lb and 1.5 lbs loaf, but I typically just use the 1 lb settings, with a medium crust. If you plan to use your oven, just use the dough setting, & it will mix and do the first rise. If you want a second rise, punch it down before shaping in your loaf pan, and let rise for about half an hour. I will spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and lay on top of the loaf (not pinching it down, in case the loaf rises in the oven while baking), and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the foil, and finish baking for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is as golden brown as I like. Your mileage may vary, depending on your oven. Mine just likes to make a dark crust unless I use the foil trick. Another method is to use a Pullman pan. I recommend spraying the pan and using parchment paper to line.
Let the bread cool before slicing outside of the pan on a rack.