There's really nothing like freshly baked bread to work up one's appetite. If you're looking for a quicker way to bake bread, Artisan Bread in Five recommends using a crock pot.  Not only is this versatile cooking appliance great for making stews, soups, and even oatmeal, it also makes fresh bread in even less time than it would normally take when using the oven.

Just to stick a pound of pre-made refrigerated dough or a fresh batch of bread dough in the crock pot and let it bake for about an hour or so. If you want to get the nice crust on the top of the loaf, then just stick it under the broiler for a few minutes.