You need a good bread cookbook.

I've got one at home, I'll look for it (since I haven't been baking much), and get you the title.

Lots of recipies, and explanations for how stuff works.

I was making a lot of bread (especially sourdough) a couple of years ago.

One thing that makes a BIG difference in texture is to have a mixing machine. What I did by hand was OK, but mom with the big mix-master's results were much much more even.

do it in a 9" pyrex cassarole dish. I call it my Paul Simon loaf: it's soft in the middle -- has a center of uncooked dough in it, while the outer bread tends toward the dry side.

Yeah, that's a bad pan to be using. :) Get some bread pans. in some cases, you might put those on a flat pan (for increase heat transfer). Toss in a handfull of ice cubes, or put a small pan of water in there if you want a softer crust.

Trek on down to the Wallyworld and get some metal pans (I find nonstick not to be that needed, if you butter (or heck, use pam) in the pan.

Let me get that book, and it'll point you the right way.

Addison