Absolute Favorite Bread Recipe

It's been quite a while since I posted anything on here.  There just hasn't been anything noteworthy to write about.   I think "winter doldrums" has set in............Not much news to say except that Harold fixed his black pickup truck (see post from December) and it is running fine.  He also had to fix a brake line.   I finally got around to cleaning my oven (a chore I truly hate!), and getting back to sewing projects and reading.   A sad event to report:  an owl killed three of my favorite cats.  I was very upset about this.   We know it was an owl from the wing marks in the snow next to one of the dead cats.  Sometimes things can be very cruel up here in the north country in the woods.

When I need some cheering up, a good thing is to get into the kitchen and bake bread.   Kneading the dough helps to relieve anxiety and tension, and the baking bread makes the whole house smell good.   Actually I pretty much bake ALL the bread we eat.   Rarely do I ever purchase store bread.  It seems like that stuff has no texture or taste or character.   I also rarely bake plain white bread.  Most of the bread I bake is whole grain and has some body to it!  Here is a recipe I use for a good portion  of the bread I bake.  It is a very versatile recipe and you can vary it however you wish.   I make lots of variations, and every bread seems to come out not only different, but good tasting!

BASIC BREAD AND VARIATIONS

2 cups of liquid - choose from plain water or milk and water or all milk or buttermilk or potato water 

                            or whatever you have - I usually use 1/2 milk and 1/2 water

2 T. honey or brown sugar or molasses (your choice)

2 pkgs (2 T.) dry yeast 

1/2 c. warm water 

pinch of sugar

2 tsp. salt (sometimes I use a little more)

1/2 stick of butter 

1 to 2 cups of "additions" (see note below)

4 to 5 cups or so of bread flour (add one cup at a time as needed)

Proof the yeast in the warm water with a pinch of sugar until foamy (cover the bowl)

Meanwhile in a large bowl, heat the 2 c. liquid, sweetener, salt, and butter in the microwave for about 3 minutes or until very hot and the butter is melted.  (If you don't want to use a microwave, heat in a pan)

Then add whatever you like from the additions list.  Let it sit until lukewarm and the yeast mix is foamy.   Add the two mixtures together and then start adding flour until you have a dough that you can knead..  Knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.   Put in a greased bowl, turn the dough to grease, cover with waxed paper and a towel and let sit to rise until doubled.  Punch down and shape into three 8 x 4 loaves and put into greased loaf pans.   Let rise until doubled and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.  If using rye flour or potatoes, bake for about 38 minutes.   

Additions list:  Use ONE or TWO or maybe 3, but not too many flavors!  Too many flavors muddy the taste!

Choose from: 

leftover cooked oatmeal

leftover cooked hot cereal like cream of wheat

leftover mashed potatoes 

potato flakes from a package - about 1/2 cup

1 c. bran 

1 c. cracked wheat (soaked in the hot liquid in the bowl)

1 c. whole wheat flour 

1 c. rye flour 

1 c. 7 grain cereal

up to 1/2 c. wheat germ 

few tablespoons of barley flour 

some ground sunflower seeds (whirl in a coffee grinder)

old fashioned oats or quick oats

cornmeal or corn flour

some of my favorite combinations:

use honey, bran and potato flakes 

use molasses, corn meal and a bit of whole wheat 

use oats, brown sugar and whole wheat flour

use about 1/2 c. rye flour, potato flakes or leftover mashed potatoes, and honey

You can mix and match however you like.  I have found that using potatoes makes for excellent toasting bread.  Using honey as a sweetener keeps the bread moist.  You could also add an egg if you like to the dough, or use a little more salt.  If I am using a combo of whole wheat flour and bread flour only, I use 1 T. of salt.   You can also make some of the dough into loaf bread, and some of the dough into shaped dinner rolls.   Lately I almost always add a couple tablespoons of barley flour, as I believe it makes the bread taste better.

Here is a photo of the bread I made today with rye flour, bran, honey and a 1/2 c. of leftover mashed potatoes:

Three 8 x 4 loaves of delicious Potato/Rye/Bran bread

A close up of the inside.  You can see the bits of rye meal and bran in the dough.  I try to buy a coarse grind rye flour.  Bob's Red Mill has lots of good varieties of flours for bread making.  They make a nice coarse rye flour, bran, barley flour and 7 grain cereal.

Bread never lasts long in our house!  Husband Harold loves fresh hot bread, and so do the neighbors.  I think they can smell the fresh bread because they seem to show up at my door "just in time"!  Bread freezes well, so you can put one or two loaves in the freezer for later use.    This bread recipe makes a loaf that is not only good for you, but is packed with 'good' carbs and whole grains, and protein.   According to my Mom, she said her father always said - "you pray for your daily bread, so eat it!"

I do hope you will try this recipe soon!