Friday, August 21, 2009

The staff of life

There was a time when I didn't buy bread at all, I made it. This is a recipe I developed back in the days when I had the time to do it, (before children and horses and romance novels) and I made it at least once a week.

My, how times have changed! Not only do I buy bread now, but I probably shouldn't be eating it at all. However, homemade bread is one of the joys of life which must be partaken of now and then. Making the pumpkin bread got me in the bread-baking mood, and in the course of one week, I've made three different kinds.

The pumpkin bread didn't last twenty-four hours. This bread may last longer depending on your homemade bread deficit level. The trick is to keep from eating all of it at once.


Whole Wheat Bread

Mix together in large bowl and let stand until foamy:

1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
2 pkgs yeast

Then stir in:

1 egg
1 3/4 cup warm milk
3 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour

Add 5 to 5 1/2 more cups of whole wheat flour one cup at a time, stirring in the first 4 and kneading in the rest until you have a smooth, non-sticky dough. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Knead dough and shape into two loaves. Let rise in greased pans until nearly doubled in bulk. Bake at 350 for 45 min. If you make smaller, individualized loaves like the two in the picture, you can make 8 of them and you only need to bake them for 30 min.

And, yes, the arrangement of the bread in the photo was deliberate!

10 comments:

  1. I've never tried my hand at making bread. I should start though :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good Wholesome Wheat Bread.
    I can't smell it.
    I will start making bread again when I retire. Nothing smells better.
    24 days.
    I'm doing Amish Cinnamon Friendship bread. I'm on the 5th day. I just added 1 cup of flour, sugar and milk.
    I'll be baking it in a few more days. Can't wait. Sorry Cheryl, I can't give you any. You'll be at the lake.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LMAO...I didn't catch the arrangement until you said so. It's early yet:-) Looks delicious! I really want to learn to bake bread, and I'm thinking once the weather cools would be a good time to experiment. Jack, my little guy, would eat bread all day if I let him. That and Oreos. He is definitely my child!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love making bread--the entire process from watching the yeast come alive, to mixing and kneading to smelling it in the oven. And, of course, eating it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Cheryl! I used to make homebread - many moons ago when the kids were little. I just watched a cooking show and the woman made some great looking zucchini bread - something I have never done but want to try.
    Great post!

    :o)

    MsM

    ReplyDelete
  6. By the way!!!
    Were you trying to be funny?
    Something about that bread looks familiar.
    Derrick is that you?

    ReplyDelete
  7. My grandmother made bread often, and while she'd let us watch, she never actually taught us how to do it. I'm not sure why, because we did enjoy kneading the bread and punching it down once it had risen. Hmmm, the smell of baking bread! When my husband and I first got together his parents gave us a bread machine. They were all the rage a few years back. We made a lot of bread using that machine and it wasn't bad...same smell, good taste, but after a while we just stopped and the machine went at a garage sale.

    One day, I'd like to make bread from scratch...one day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooh that bread looks so good it's making my mouth water. Wait... What?! Yup it definitely looks familiar I agree with Donna. LMAO!!! No wonder I was salivating so much my subconscious was thinking Derrick & Yummy Bread! Derrick & Yummy Bread! Derrick & Yummy Bread! the whole time. lol!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ah, the power of suggestion...
    You don't even need to see Derrick to know he's here...
    Everyone should make bread at least once! It's becoming a lost art, and one that really shouldn't be lost.
    Be brave! The little yeasty beasties won't hurt you, and you'll love the feel of the dough in your hands. The best part is getting to slap that nice round bun when you finish kneading it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What Dirty Minds we have. But feeling the dough and Slapping those nice Round Buns and needing it. Does sound fun. Doesn't it Ana.

    ReplyDelete