Making bread without a bread machine?

It may have just been a bad batch. After you knead it the second time (knead it for 2-5 minutes), let it rise for about an hour before you cook it. You can cover the pans of dough with a kitchen towel and put them in a slightly warm oven to rise. Just tell the oven to preheat to 350 but stop it after 2 minutes so the oven is warm but the bread won't cook. Put the bread in to rise, then once it has risen, you can take the towels off and cook it.