Making My Own (gluten-free) Bread

I want to start making my own bread. I know it's extra work, but I feel like I have better control over what goes in my family's bellies if I start making everything from scratch! As a gift my mother-in-law gave me some bread mix boxes and this amazing bread slicer. Okay, here we go! First attempt on making my own bread:IT TAKES FOREVER! lol You mix, you cover and let rise for 30 minutes. You transfer to pan, cover, and let rise for 20-40 minutes. Then you bake for 50 minutes. It is not hard, just time consuming. I didn't LOVE this type of bread. The loaf was super heavy and I am a fan of UDI's bread which is light weight, so I want to find a recipe and try again this time from scratch. Do you have any favorite bread recipes? Please share! ;)
 The quest continues.... I think I also may want to invest in a bread maker. Any suggestions?
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