"Remember that time when...."

".... when I made that awesome bread and it was so moist and delicious and we didn't want to stop eating it?"
...."Yeah...." Chris replied, wistfully.

Today is one of those days that in a couple of weeks we'll be thinking back and having the above conversation. 

You see, although I have been making bread pretty regularly for four years, I am just not good at it.  Well, let's be honest: I am not careful enough when making bread to do the same exact thing every time over and over. It just seems so... boring.  Until I make bread and it is perfect and I relish every bite (especially with butter!) and it is gone in less than 24 hours.

In conclusion, this post is mostly for me and only a little bit for you.  :-)  I will write down what I did today, so next week, (or tomorrow) when we need bread again I can look at this post and say, "See, Janet, you can make delicious bread and all you have to do is follow these short simple steps!"


Bread from today
2 cups warm water
2 1/2 tsp yeast
2 TBS honey
1/4 cup gluten
1/4 cup olive oil
5 1/2 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour
2 tsp real salt (not 'fake' salt, as Ben calls all other salt!)

Add the water and yeast to the mixer.  Let sit for two or three minutes. Add honey and stir for 5-10 seconds to swirl it all around. Add gluten, olive oil and 5 cups flour.  Mix until it pulls into a wet dough.  Add salt and mix some more.  Add enough more flour until the dough is the right consistency.  My husband calls it 'post-it note' wet. Knead for 7-8 minutes.  Let sit in the mixer for about a half hour. (My mixer bowl is plastic and the dough doesn't stick, but if you have a metal bowl, you might want to coat it with oil before letting it sit.) Grease two loaf pans.  Divide the dough roughly in half and put each half in each bread pan.  Let rise in a warm oven for about a half hour.  Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes.  Try to be patient enough to wait five or ten minutes before cutting into your beautiful, delicious loaf of bread and slathering it with butter.  Enjoy!

Thankful for delicious bread to go with dinner tonight! :-)

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