The aroma of loaves of homemade bread baking inside of my oven is a sweet comfort to me. I started baking bread because of the health benefits for my family. I like to know what is in our food. I like that my children eat bread free of preservatives, chemicals, white flour and white sugar. I also believe we save money by my bread making rather than buying loaves in the store. But more than that, baking bread for my family has become another way for me to express to them how much I love, cherish and value them. It might seem silly, but it is a very tangible way for me to show love.
It's not that it takes a whole lot of time. I do not make my bread all by hand - after all I am a busy, homeschooling mommy who wants to spend moments playing with my children, making memories, rather than every second in the kitchen!(As much as I do enjoy being in my kitchen creating yummy goodness!) So I use a bread maker or my Kitchen aid. Someday when I have a bit more time, I would like to make bread by hand, but now is not the time. I would also like to grind my own wheat berries. Lately my Kitchen Aid has been welcoming my bread dough, as my bread maker broke this fall. {sad}I have tried numerous whole wheat bread recipes on my family. We like the bread to be a bit sweet, so we prefer recipes with honey or agave nectar. We like the crust to be firm, but the inside to be fluffy and tender. This can be tricky with some whole wheat recipes. And I want a bread that tastes fresh even after a few days. This fall I landed on this recipe out of a Gooseberry Patch book. It is now our whole wheat bread standby. I make it at least every other week. Although, we have liked other whole wheat breads, this is by far superior, and is the recipe card I find myself reaching for over and over. This bread is versatile. It can just as easily be used on a sandwich as it can be used solo paired with soup, chili, or spaghetti. We have eaten it as toast and french toast. The recipe below has been modified for the Kitchen Aid.
Whole Wheat Bread
Gooseberry Patch
Ingredients:
2 T active dry yeast
1/4 C. warm water
1/4 C. honey
2 t. salt
3 T. olive oil
5 1/2 - 6 c. whole-wheat flour - divided
1 T. butter - melted
Method:
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 C. warm water. In mixer, combine 2 c. warm water, honey, salt,
and oil. Stir in 2 c. of whole-wheat flour, mixing well. Stir in yeast mixture. Add more flour, 1/2 c. at a time, to make a fairly stiff dough, Knead with dough hook for about five minutes. Shape dough into a ball, put in greased bowl. Cover bowl and let rise 45 minutes or until double in size. Punch down dough, divide in half and knead a little; let rest ten minutes. Shape dough into two loaves and place in two 8x4 inch greased loaf pans. Split top; drizzle with melted butter. Let rise until double in bulk, abut 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Yield: 2 loaves
Get printable recipe here.
This bread is so delicious warm and straight from the oven. My children hardly can wait for me to slice it and share with them a piece of warm bread.
My sweet Cadi anxiously waiting for her afternoon snack. (Poor baby is sick today with a cold.)
What could be a better snack than a slice of warm whole wheat bread slathered in Nutella? (Okay, I must be honest even cardboard would taste delightful slathered in Nutella - even so this snack is that much better when homemade wheat bread and Nutella are paired!)
Notice the tears remaining around his baby blues? Mommy couldn't get the bread to him fast enough! And this poor baby is still suffering from eczema as you will notice on his hand and arm - it is better!
Oh to be a child again and get Nutella all over my face! Wait - my hubby just did this at lunch - ha!!
Do you know what else spells love to my family? My grandma's warm old fashioned molasses cookies with jelly in the center. The dough is waiting in the fridge for me. Hungry for the recipe?!
Addis Ababa Time
12 comments:
Blessing your family with homemade bread...we love it. Thanks so much for sharing our recipe here and we're so happy to provide a new stand-by!
Do you recall which of our books this comes from?
Yummy! I love bread. Might have to try this recipe sometime.
My mom used to work nights as a nurse and my dad would always make a warm loaf of bread for her, ready when she walked in the door at 11 pm. It was her favorite snack and I'll never forget the smell in our home! Your bread looks delicious and poor Scotty! His little arm looks like my little guy's body. I hate hate hate it for them. Sensitive boys. Praying for you guys alot....
That looks delicious! I'll have to try in my mixer soon! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
The recipe looks really good! If I make homemade whole wheat bread, I prefer honey in it, too! I really should take the time to make this more often since I do have a Kithen Aid and a break maker (that my mom got for me at a garage sale for $5!). I also LOVE Nutella! :-)
I like the green eggs and ham bib. :-)
I love homemade bread, now I make it for my daughter! My Mom used to make it for us all the time. Used to be a staple at the table while she taught us Math, History, and English. I've never tried Nutella, though, I should pick some of that up and see what all the fuss is about!
I'm so glad that you commented on my blog, because it led me to yours! What a blessing! God, photography, and recipes? I can't wait to see more!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your layout is amazing! Did you do it yourself?
I love homemade bread, but have never been brave enough to actually make it myself. I love to cook, yet I am intimidated when it comes to bread making. I am inspired by you to give it a try. This post has me feeling like you are someone I would love to know in real life.
We love homemade bread around here, and make it regularly. Yours looks absolutely delicious. Poor little Scotty with the eczema. My girls get it too, and it makes me so sad.
These look awesome - can't wait to try them! I will make it soon. Thanks!!
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