That’s MY bread maker!
He’s a fine bread maker.
And a fine bread maker, too. lol
The bread we go through is crazy, and it’s seemed one of those things you can’t buy enough of, and it’ll go just as quick. We’re not ‘white bread’ people either, so what we spend on bread can get….tiresome. So a few weeks back, my hubby decided he’d try making some. After all, he makes a mean pizza dough. And he had a good book that his parents let us have. (I think. I’m afraid we borrowed it, and never returned it, but he says no.) Anyway, they’re experienced…everything makers.
Anyway….I can’t tell you how many loaves he has made now, in the past few weeks. He loves doing stuff like that anyway. (What a blessing. lol) The rest of us love eating it up!!
The recipe we use is a version of a James Beard bread recipe. However, we like to replace 1 cup of the flour called for, with some whole wheat flour, for a bit of a healthier and heavier bread.
We’re sharing our version of the recipe with you today, at the end of this post.
If you happen to have the old book Beard on Bread (shown above), you can find the original recipe Basic Home-Style Bread, on Page 30.
I took photos one Saturday or Sunday not long ago, along the way, from flour and yeast, to our home smelling like something possibly from Heaven. Is there ANYTHING that smells as good as baking bread?? Few things, I reckon.
Working together the flour, proofed yeast (with milk and sugar), and salt.
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Rising.
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Doubled and ready for round 2!
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{JM} is the lucky kid who was around to punch it down! These little things make them SO happy, you know.
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Kneading some more.
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Dividing for 2 loaves.
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Rising for a second time.
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Hanging around, just looking good, while the bread bakes in the oven. He was so tired, I could tell, having chopped a lot of wood that day too.
Beep! Beep! Beep! (Timer goes off.)
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Knock-knock-knock! It sounds done.
But when the kids hear the timer go off , and the knocking….they come calling, to check for themselves. Everyone has to get into the knocking, you know. These little things make them SO happy, you know. : )
Sounds ready!!
Not quite perfectly formed, but that’s what happens when kids help. The family love that went into them is perfect! And oh….if you could smell our home right about now. For those of you who bake bread daily (I know you’re out there..) you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who buy fresh baked bread, you know what I’m talking about too. It’s the smell of a bakery. lol
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- 1 package of active dry yeast
- 2 cups of warm milk (100 to 115 degrees, approximately)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ~ 4 cups all-purpose flour
- *additional flour as needed when kneading
- *NOTE: The directions below are all done by hand. However, if you have a Kitchen Aid or other large mixer, as we do now, it is much faster to make this dough!
- Warm 2 cups of milk.
- Add the yeast to ½ cup of warm milk, along with 2 tablespoons of sugar, and stir well until the yeast is completely dissolved. Allow yeast to proof.
- Place the remaining milk, the melted butter, and the salt in a large bowl.
- Stir in the flour, *1 cup at a time, with a wooden spoon.
- *Start with first cup of whole wheat flour, and then for rest of recipe use all-purpose.
- After the third cup of flour, add the yeast mixture.
- Continue stirring in flour until the mixture is rather firm, which should take ~ 4 cups.
- Remove the dough to a floured board or smooth surface, and knead, adding more flour as necessary if it gets sticky, until it is satiny and no longer sticky.
- Butter a bowl and place the dough in it, turning and using your hands to coat all sides with the butter. Cover with a with a kitchen towel or other suitable covering.
- Options for Rising:
- Place covered dough bowl in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size (approx. 1.5 - hours)
- -OR-
- Heat oven to 170 degrees, and when it reaches temperature, turn the oven OFF, and place the covered dough bowl in the oven. ( ~ 1 hour)
- Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down firmly 2 or 3 times, and return to floured surface.
- Knead 4 or 5 minutes more.
- Divide dough into 2 equal parts, and shape into loaves.
- Place each in well-buttered 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.
- Cover and allow to rise again, in a warm, draft-free spot (or warmed/off oven again) until doubled in size.
- When loaves are risen, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Slash the loaves with a sharp knife.
- Bake in 400 degree oven for 40 - 45 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when taped on with knuckles on the bottom.
- Optional: Remove from pans and put them in oven a few more minutes longer to become crisped.
- ENJOY!
What a delicious bread! Great for sandwiches. Toasted, is how I like mine.
Sure Stacey! I’ll try to get those recipes posted, soon! We hope you are subscribed, or have ‘Liked’ our Facebook Page, so that you are aware when they are blogged! 🙂
I was wondering if you would share the recipe for this bread and also for the pizza dough?
Thanks so much!
Stacey
Mmmmm . . . looks yummy. Bread is a huge thing in Bolivia. They usually have it for breakfast and at least one snack for the day. It seems like we ate it all the time. Your pictures make me want to bake some. You said you’re not “white bread people.” Do you make your own whole wheat bread? We eat whole wheat bread, too.
Rene
— I’ve been itching to make doughnuts. We don’t have a deep frier yet though. When we do, I suppose we can make all kinds of tasty things that are no good for us! lol. I bet your mom does still have that gadget in the attic or something.
Sarah
–Oh, I don’t think you need courage to make bread! It LOOKS EASY…ask me!! lol. I bet it’ll come out just fine. Especially with a family recipe of your aunts! Don;t forget to let your girls punch it down now!
PAULA!!
A truckful of bread for $2?? Seriously!! Man, what a bargain. I’d have kept the bagels too! lol. Now why do you call your husband ‘erstwhile’? Is he still your husband? Or is he old fashioned? I had to look up that word, and I’m still trying to put it all together. lol
Yes, the doughnuts from the bakery were out of this world, and I think my mom has the recipe for those too. She used to make and sell them on our front lawn along with her pies, and Denise next door would sell her fresh breads. This was 35 years ago, and people still come by occasionally asking if they still sell baked goods. Speaking of the corer/peeler gadget, our parent group is thinking of selling apple crisp for our Harvest celebration in October. When it was suggested, there were a lot of groans from the group, lamenting the task of peeling and coring all those apples, and of course I thought of mom’s handy tool! I hope she still has it!
When I was a little girl, my aunt always made homemade bread—homemade everything for that matter. It is SO good! One of my girls just asked me if we could bake bread sometime. How could I say no? So, I am building up the courage to give it a try. (My aunt is going to send me her recipe 😉
I love to make bread. Oh, and rolls. I have a KILLER recipe for rolls. Nummy. I haven’t made bread for a month, because my erstwhile husband bought a truckful of bread for $2. All 3 freezers and the fridge are full, and we gave away three Rubbermaid tubs full of bagels. Oh well, we are saving money, right?
Rene
– Of COURSE I remember Aunt Lorette’s Bakery! I remember waking up there countless mornings, with the smells of the fresh baking that had been going since the wee hours of the morning. Oh….the bread smelled SO good….but the doughnuts had my attention even more then. I’ll have to get that bread recipe from your mom! I also remember well the smell of your mom’s apple pies! And that cool apple corer/peeler screwed to the side of the counter. lol
Regan
– So true, Regan. In fact, ‘BREAD’ is so intricately woven in countless biblical scriptures, and so symbolic throughout. But the power of the Body of Christ (in the form of bread) is unmatchable! I am overwhelmed, every time I receive, of the power of it. It truly strengthens me in so many ways. I know you can relate. What a gift He has given of Himself; to be there for us to receive Him, anytime. It’s one I never take for granted.
Do you remember Aunt Lorette’s bakery? My mom has always used her bread recipe and the smell and the flavor is something not soon forgotten! Every so often my mom makes a huge batch (she doesn’t know how to make just a couple of loaves — it’s more like a dozen!) and we get to enjoy the crusty goodness for about 3 days. It’s soooooooo delightful!! Some of my favorite childhood memories are of being in my mom’s kitchen, baking bread and pies with her on Sunday afternoons. Oh, and I loved to be the one to punch down the dough!!!….By the way, Aunt Lorette’s bakery is still in business, and the recipes are still the same. Your handsome bread maker is indeed heaven-sent. I’m hoping mine becomes inspired when he reads this post! Hugs to all, ~R
i am convinced that this is why JESUS stayed with us in the form of bread…….because when the stuff is baking, it is a heavenly smell!!!
i have been dying to try this new recipe for bread that i found recently, thanks for the inspiration. it is finally cold enough to have the oven on!
what a sweetie your hubby is-breadmaking IS hard work and if your family eats it as quick as mine does, he is going to be awfully busy!
God bless……=)