Whole Wheat Pan

Home baked bread, it does the body good. At the beginning of the summer I started out making bread every weekend. I started out easy, one small loaf of banana bread. Surprisingly enough it actually turned out pretty good. I then built up my courage to bake some "real" bread. I had some extra whole wheat flour lying around so I went ahead and tried making some "Whole Wheat Bread" from the "Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book." I can't find a date on it, but I think that it's from the 60's or something (red checkered cover). My mama says that the older cook books are better because they are healthier and easier to use (and my mama is ALWAYS right!).

This is the recipe that I followed to get those two great looking loaves of bread:

1 package active dry yeast (we all know that one package equals 2 1/4 tsps. of yeast no?)
1/4 warm water (not too hot! not too cold!)
1 1/2 cups warm milk (instead of the hot water that Homes and Gardens wants you to use)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsps. salt
3 Tbs. margarine (instead of the shortening that Homes and Gardens wants you to use)
2 cups stirred whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour (heat the oven to 375)

"Soften active dry yeast in 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees). Combine hot milk, sugar, salt, and margarine; cool to lukewarm. Stir in whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the white flour; beat well. Stir in softened yeast. Add enough of remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface; kneed till smooth and satiny (about 10 min.).

Shape dough in a ball; place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface (this way it won't get crusty!). Cover; let rise in warm place till double (about 1 1/2 hours) (I usually put the dough in a plastic bowl, and then place bowl in a pan half full of warm water). Punch down. Cut in 2 portions; shape each in smooth ball. Cover and let rest 10 minutes (lets the gluten form)."

What you want to do now is to grease two pans, place the dough in them and let them rise again (again, use the cooking pan with warm water). Make sure you cover the dough or else it will get crusty (yuck!). Let rise for about 1 1/4 hrs and then bake for about 45 at 375 degrees. Yum! Enjoy. :)


If you do try this easy recipe, let me know how your bread turns out!