best bread

I could eat a sandwich for every meal for the rest of my life.  It seems as if I would never tire of them.  Oven roasted turkey breast, pepper jack cheese, tomato, lettuce/spinach, peppers, oil vinegar, salt and pepper, mmmmmm. A few of you chimed in over the weekend and said that you use a bread machine too so I thought I would post our favorite bread recipe.  It came to me via a former student (and friend) and I have been making it 2x/week.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

3 T molasses (I use honey- maple syrup works too)

1 C boiling water (for my machine I add 3 extra tablespoons to this, you'll have to experiment)

1.5 T butter

*Gently sprinkle the following ingredients over the top of the liquids (in the order listed)

1 1/4 C whole wheat bread flour

1 3/4 C white bread flour (you could try adjusting this ratio so that you have more whole wheat four and less white flour, but I haven't been very successful with that so far.)

3/4 C old fashioned oats

1.5 tsp salt

1 T sugar

1 T vital wheat gluten

2 T powdered milk

2 T ground flax seeds

*Make a shallow well in the center of the flour mixture and add:

2 t active dry yeast (for bread machines)

*I usually select the rapid whole wheat cycle. This makes a 1.5 lb loaf. We have found it to be very yummy! I would love to try your favorite bread recipes if you are so inclined to share them :)

By the way thank you for all the "handmade" encouragement yesterday.  I should like to exchange gifts with you next time!

Comments

[grace]

Libby,
That bread looks to be just about the best. I have tried making bread,(without a machine, I don't have one) And it tastes great but I'm not digging the texture. Its probably my recipe. It doesn't call for the vital gluten. I'd love to try your but do you think I could use it by hand?

[susie]

Hi there,
I've just recently discovered your sweet blog. I have loved your ideas and you have some great links - crafty things, recipes, etc...!
I have a hard time messing with recipes to see what works but I'll try your bread recipe soon. Looks healthy.
I have a much loved bread recipe that you might want to add to try:

Half wheat/Half white Bread for bread machines.

1 Cup & 1 Tblspn Water, 80-90 degrees F
1 Tblspn Honey
1 1/2 C White Flour
1 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tspn Salt
1 1/2 Tblspn Brown Sugar, packed
1 1/2 Tblspn Dry Milk
2 Tblspn Butter
2 tspn Active Dry Yeast

1. Add liquid ingredients to pan.

2. Add dry ingredients, except yeast to pan. Tap pan to settle dry ingredients, then level ingredients, pushing some of the mixture into corners. Place butter into corners of pan.

3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add yeast. Lock pan into bread maker.

4. Program for whole wheat and desired crust color. Program Time Delay if being used. Start Bread Maker. When done, turn off and remove bread from pan. Cool on rack before slicing. I find if you let it sit overnight in a zip lock bag (closed up) it will slice even better.

[amandajean]

that bread looks great! it's funny, I just came to your blog to look up your pizza crust reicpe and here I have another one to try, too. thanks! your sandwich looks so yummy.

[mama k]

I gotta try that. I linked back to this post today. :)

[Rachel]

Apparently my bread machine is not as high capacity as yours. I really wish I had taken a picture of the bread monster that greeted me when the timer went off! I've sorta cut the recipe in half to try again. Hope it doesn't try to escape like last time ;)