Bread Baking

Is bread expensive? I have not bought bread in over 3 years, since I stopped working. It was one of the things that I wanted to learn when I decided to stay home with the girls, so I went to my Mother-in-law (Lesa) who is an amazing cook. She has been making bread for years.

I make bread once a week now. I make four loaves of bread and it lasts all week. the first day it is very soft and we usually finish off one loaf. The second, and third day it is easier to cut for sandwiches, and after that is is still really good toasted. I never have a problem with bread being stale or go bad before we use it.

I use Lehi Roller Mills turkey flour, and also grind their  wheat in my wheat grinder (best Christmas present ever! Thanks Don and Lesa). I did not do this when I started and it was still good (don't fret), but that does make it super duper. I just found out recently that the turkey flour happens to be bread flour and I never knew. It is just what I buy at Costco...

When I started, I failed, I had no idea why my bread did not work. So for those clueless like myself  I was burning my yeast. My Father-in-law put it this way, when you stick your finger in the water you should NOT be able to feel it cause it should be your temperature. I have never had a problem since! I probably do it a tiny bit warmer than that myself but for some reason it made it click in my head..

The last thing I want to say is to memorize the recipe. You know how they say the hardest thing about running is getting out the door? Well the hardest thing about making bread, or cooking is getting out the recipe book. Haha Seriously! This is the only recipe I have memorized I am pretty sure, which is easy to do because there are very few ingredients, and I make it every week. This way, I just start my yeast in the morning and it is not a chore at all.

Oh also maybe just half the recipe and do two loafs till you are the master...

Alright, no more yappity yaping:

Lesa's Bread 350 degrees for about 35minutes, Makes 4 loaves

2 Tablespoons yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 Cups warm water
Set for 10 minutes till frothy
Add
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup oil
1 Tablespoon salt
9 1/2 Cups flour
 Add flour until it pulls away from the side. It is better to have to little flour then to much, because you don't want a brick.  So just don't get super carried away. Don't Continue to mix or it will begin to be sticky again.
Let rise till double, about an hour.
Put dough in bread tins and rise till ready to put in oven.

Side note: I do something different with the flour pretty much every time. Half wheat half white, most wheat some white. I have been adding flax seed lately just to be healthy and you can take your cold, left over, already cooked, oatmeal from breakfast and throw it in there with the flour (one of Lesa's little tricks). So when you become a pro you can play with it. I have to say, When Eric makes bread he usually does all white and it makes beautiful bread..

 So I thought I would show you the bread storage idea I got from Pinterest. I found the basket at Walmart. it was 2 for $8.

There you go! Once again much more than you wanted to know!