Storing Bread

I thought I would share how I store my bread since my last post was on making it.  When I make bread I am making 5 loaves at a time and I don't like them to go bad or dry out.  So, I store them in the freezer.  After my loaves are all cooled, I slice them up and put them in Ziploc bags (gallon freezer bags).  This way when I need to make an immediate piece of toast or a sandwich for someone's lunch, I can grab a loaf out of the freezer and not need to wait for it to thaw before cutting into it.  Anyway, maybe you all do this already, I just thought I'd share this handy tip!  

(My fifth loaf got eaten right after it came out of the oven)

Pin It

My Mama's Bread

So, I don't remember my mom making bread very often when I was growing up. (Sorry, Mom!)  I have a good friend who taught me how to make bread about 5 years ago and I have been making it ever since.  In those 5 years, I have tried several different recipes, and really liked most of them.  I have posted a few on my blog (at least 2, I think--I didn't check).  But sometime in the past year, I got my mom's bread recipe and finally tried it.  It is by far my favorite!  It takes the least amount of time (which is precious!) and turns out great each time.  Sigh. . .

Since we have been living on the BRAT diet at my house (see previous post--by the way, I think we are over it, whew) for the past week, I really needed to make some more bread.  So, I thought I would share my mom's recipe with you all.

Whole Wheat Bread

5 1/2 c warm water

1/2 c honey

1/2 c oil

*mix*

In a small bowl mix together:

1/2 c gluten flour

1 1/2 Tbsp salt

2-4 Tbsp dough enhancer ( or if you are grinding your wheat, add a couple vitamin C tablets to your wheat as it is grinding-they are a dough enhancer)

Add this mixture to the water/honey/oil and mix

Then I just leave it mixing and start adding flour  11-15 cups.  Once the dough is pulling away from the sides and bottom of your mixer, stop adding flour

THEN ADD 3 Tbsp yeast  (I have forgotten this a couple times :)

Let mix for 10 minutes and then remove, shape into loaves (by the way, this recipe makes 5 loaves and I use oil on my counter as I am shaping them), let rise and bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.  Don't forget to grease your bread pans!

It turns out great every time!  As long as I don't forget the yeast! :)  But seriously, this is so fast and easy with no waiting periods here and there that drag out the process.  Just mix, raise and bake.  I can have bread made in and hour and a half, easy.  Most of that is raising and baking time.

My kids also love to help me make bread and it is nice because they can just sit there adding flour and I tell them when to stop.  It doesn't have to be measured super accurately, just as long as you stop when the dough is pulling away from the bowl like I said earlier.

Oh-I almost forgot.  This bread recipe turns out fantastic with hard red wheat.  I know most people like hard white, but the red wheat bread turns out softer and nicer.  White wheat works great, too, but I prefer red.  Just FYI.

Anyway, happy bread making!





Pin It

BAGELS!

I made bagels the other day and they were SO YUMMY!!!! I watched a video on how to make them, which helped me out. I hope this helps you make them.

I started out by putting the following in my bosch:

3 cups warm water
2 tbsp. yeast
1/3 cup sugar
3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
4 tsp. salt



Then mix for a minute and add in 3-4 more cups of flour (My first batch, I used white, my second, I used wheat. I think I would do half wheat and half white next time. They turned out a little puffier, but the all whole wheat ones were good, too.)

Once your dough is pulling away from the sides of your bowl, that is a sign to stop adding flour.

Mix for 8 minutes.

Here's my dough after mixing:

Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes. Here's what mine looked like:

Take your dough out. . .

And cut it into 16 balls of dough.

Next, you form the bagel. The trick is to make a ball out of the dough and then poke your fingers through the middle and stretch it out a little. You can kind of roll it a little, too.

Place them on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Put a towel over them and let rise for 20 more minutes. This is what mine looked like:

Once they have raised, bring a pot of water to boil, with 3 T of sugar in it. Put a bagel in (I fit 3 at a time in my pot, just depends on how big yours is) and boil it for 30 seconds on each side. I used a spatula to flip them over.

When they are done, place them on a kitchen towel to let the water drain off of them.

Put your bagels back onto the greased baking sheet. Mix together 1 egg white with just a little water (1-2 T) and brush it on the bagels. You may sprinkle any topping you like on it. I did some with poppyseeds, sesame seeds, and parmesean cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The whole wheat ones, I just left plain. Here is a picture of a whole wheat bagel:

And, here are the other kinds I made:

They were sooooooooooooooo heavenly! Notice I said "were" . . . they didn't last long! I can never eat store bought bagels again.

Now, if you want a nice sweet whipped cream cheese to go with them. Just take a block of cream cheese, softened, and whip it with a little sugar (1 T) and water (2-3 T). Delicious!! I hope you try these, they will be so worth it!

Pin It

Ezekiel Bread

So, I made Ezekiel bread for the first time and I was very pleased with how easy it was and how well it turned out! It is nothing like what you can buy at the health food store in the freezer section. The recipe I used turned out just like regular homemeade wheat bread.



I started by grinding the following grains all mixed together:
5 cups wheat
1 cup barley
1 cup rye
1/3 cup millet
1/4 cup pinto beans
1/4 cup soy beans
1/4 cup lentils
1000mg vitamin C tablet (acts a a natural dough enhancer)

(I was able to find all these grains at WinCo in the bulk section)

This is what I ended up with:



Here's the recipe:

5 cups warm water
3 Tbs. yeast
½ cup honey
1 stick of butter
2 Tbsp salt
½ the flour mixture

Mix until blended.

Add ½ cup vital wheat gluten (you can use gluten flour. . . also at WinCo) and gradually add in the rest of the flour, kneading to make a smooth dough, about 10 more minutes. Allow dough to rise ½ hour before shaping into 4 loaves. Rise a second time for ½ hour, and bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

Here's my mixing dough:




And here's my nice smooth dough:

The loaves before rising (my girls like to make their own loaves):

After rising:

And out of the oven:

My bread turned out just slightly denser than my wheat bread, but it stayed soft for a very long time. It makes delicious sandwiches or toast. I made grilled cheese and my kids had no idea it was any different than my normal bread, and yet they are getting so many more healthy grains in them!

If you don't have a grinder and are a neighbor or friend, I'd be happy to grind some grains up for you! Just let me know!

Enjoy!






Pin It

Buttermilk Cornbread

So, I tried out a new cornbread recipe and LOVE it! Plus, I broke out the solar oven that I got for my anniversary/birthday/Christmas present last year (I was very unmotivated while pregnant). I love that, too! So, I put both together and this is what I got:

Buttermilk Cornbread

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs (or 2 T powdered eggs 1/4 c water)

1 cup buttermilk (I do my own with 1 T lemon juice to one cup milk)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup cornmeal (if you have a grinder--grind up yellow popcorn for the most delicious

cornmeal!!)

1 cup flour

1/2 t salt

Melt butter. Stir in sugar. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture. Stir in cornmeal, flour, salt until well blended. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

*OR*

I put my solar oven outside to preheat (it heats up to 300 degrees in 20 minutes and I've had mine get as hot as 375 so far)

Then I put it in and let it cook! It does take a little more time to cook, but not much.

I just took mine out when it looked done. It was delicious!!

Even two days later, it was still moist! Cornbread--moist? Yep!!

New Bread Recipe

So, I tried a new bread recipe for fun that I got from a lady at the cannery. I loved it! Here is the recipe:

Whole Wheat Bread
makes 4 loaves

7 c whole wheat flour
2/3 c wheat gluten
2 1/2 T instant yeast

Mix for 1 minute. Then add 5 cups warm water and mix for 1 minute. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Add:
1 T salt
2/3 c oil
2/3 c honey
2 1/2 T lemon juice

Mix for 1 minute. Then add:

5 more cups whole wheat flour mixing after each cup

Knead for 10 minutes (in mixer). Shape into loaves and place in pan. Let rise to top of pan.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

They turned out beautiful and delicious! I actually used half wheat flour and half white flour, just because I only had that much wheat flour and I didn't want to grind more at the time. :) But, I made it again yesteday with all whole wheat flour and it turned out great, again.

Enjoy it!!