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!
