Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

This recipe is one of my family's favorites. The recipe doesn't call for Lecithin but if you add it, it will soften the texture of the bread. The bread is wholesome and delicious and even picky eaters who claim they don't like wheat or whole grain bread will devour it. I've found that if I make the bread with hard white wheat it could almost pass for white bread.

 Recipe:
1 cup rolled oats (NOT instant)
2 cups hot milk
1/3 cup honey
1 Tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour  - I use freshly ground from Hard white wheat berries for this recipe
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 to 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
about 2 tablespoons oats to sprinkle in pans
(for healthier loaves try substituting 1/2 cup of the white flour for 1/4 flax and 1/4 bran)

 
put oats in a large mixing bowl and pour the hot milk over them.  Stir in the honey and let cool to body temperature. Add yeast to water in small bowl and allow to sit for 5 minutes to dissolve. Once the oats have cooled stir in the yeast, yogurt  or buttermilk and the whole wheat flour. (add lecithin, flax, bran now if you wish) Beat with wooden spoon for about 1 minute. Cover this sponge with plastic wrap and set aside for 30mins in a warm draft free spot.

sponge after 30m

rule of thumb is to add same amount as Lecithin as your recipe
calls for yeast



After 30m, beat in your egg, salt and butter until well blended. Add the unbleached flour, 1/2 c. at a time, beating well after each addition. Knead for 10minutes- dough will be slightly slack. Place the dough in lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat and cover till double in size. Punch down dough. Divide in half. Shape the halves into loaves and place them in prepared pans. Cover loosely and let rise in warm, draft-free spot until doubled. Preheat over to 375 degrees. Bake loaves for approximately 40m.

To make a well rounded loaf, roll each half into a tapered oblong about 12inches long and as wide as your pan. Starting at the narrow end, roll the dough like a jelly roll keeping slight tension on it.  When you get to the end pinch the seams together and tuck the ends under slightly. Lay the loaves in the pans seams side down, pressing them down with the palm of your hand.

We don't sprinkle oats in the bottom of the bread pans cause certain family members get weird when they "see" what is in their food. But it does add to the presentation of the bread.



Yeast Bread Basics for beginners and those who need a refresher- LIKE ME!!

I can't remember when I didn't know how to make bread. My mother always baked bread. She learned from my grand-mother and I from her. I don't remember doing it as a child. I suppose it was sometime after I got married.

My husband and I farm and have grown wheat for years, it seemed only logical to start grinding and using my own wheat for baking. Not to mention that it makes a much more nutritional loaf. Last winter I went about researching and finding a grinder. I purchased some wheat berries from the store and began using it so that in July when our wheat was harvested I would be ready to go.

I purchased a wondermill and while it does a fantastic job of making flour, I have found that since switching to our wheat and grinding my own flour my loaves have gotten dry, even flat. They don't raise up as well as I would have liked.

So, for this winter, I'm going back to the basics.

 Step by step.

 To refresh what I have forgotten and to perhaps learn a little more, all in effort to making a better loaf of bread. I have people occasionally ask my advice on bread baking that I thought I would share my thoughts and what I've learned with you.

For those of you who are experienced bread bakers. Please feel free to add any of your tips that you feel might help others.

Today we will start with Yeast. I  like to purchase my yeast in bulk.

I can purchase a twin pack from Sams Club for around $5.00

Not only cause its cheaper but when you bake as much bread as I do opening all those little foil packets can get annoying. However, they are great for the occasional bread baking person.

In order to maintain freshness..You can store it in the fridge or freezer. I store mine in a quart size mason jar.

If you are uncertain if your yeast is still good, stir it into 1/4 cup of warm water and add a pinch of sweetener. This is called proofing. The yeast should foam within 10 minutes. If it doesn't, its no good.

To dissolve active dry yeast, sprinkle it over your liquid, usually lukewarm water and stir. The liquid should be no hotter then 115 degrees. It should feel warm to touch.

Now when making yeast breads you want to be sure none of your ingredients, including eggs, butter, flour, milk, etc are cold. Cold will inhibit the action of the yeast

and your dough won't rise. The one thing I forget frequently is the egg. Eggs need to be at room temperature.

A lot of the recipes that I make have a lot of grains in them. They require you to "Soak" the grains or sometimes create a sponge.

The sponge will contain your liquid, yeast, grains and some flour. This is a squash bread sponge. It has squash, milk, sugar, yeast, corn meal and the wheat flour.

It needs to sit to soften the particles of grains so you get a better rise. The particles of flour absorb moisture in the sponge and you will end up using less flour later and should end up with a moisture loaf. This is the step I've been working on as I've found my loaves of bread drying out quickly after just a day or two in the bread box.

cover with plastic wrap and let your sponge rest for 30 minutes or so.

Next, we will go over incorporating the rest of your flour into the sponge, kneading and shaping your loaves.





Bakery organization

Sometimes I really miss the kitchen in my old house. It was the first  only kitchen I have had that I actually had empty cupboards even after everything was put away.

There are more cupboards and counter space on the other side.

But - alas, this beautiful kitchen belongs to some other lucky woman now.

Its not that I don't like my new kitchen- I do. I actually like it alot- but ever since we moved here 2 years ago I've been struggling with keeping it organized and finding a place for everything.

I FINALLY order and received my new wondermill grinder this winter. (which I will review on a different day) Something I've been wanting to do for a long time is to grind my own flour.

I have a lovely little pantry/laundry room right off the kitchen. So, finding a place to put my grinder where it would be convenient was the next challenge.

Sadly, this is where it ended up.

Our favorite kind of bread is Hallelujah Bread. Which has 7 different grains in it.

I also keep those on the shelves in the pantry.

Why do I suddenly feel like I've just bared it all?

On bread baking day- I need to remove from the pantry- 5 grains, flour, molasses, oil, honey and now my grinder and wheat berries, among other things.

I thrive on simplicity and saving time. I was thinking maybe a microwave or utility cart would work to put everything on and then I could wheel it in and out of the pantry. Found this one on wal-mart.com

however - it was too deep- I wouldn't be able to open the door on my dryer very far.

Then I came across this

And I found it, in all places - our basement. My mother had picked it up at a garage sale for me awhile back. Great find but I never had found a good use for it until today.

And- I have room left over! The only grains I don't have on it are the flax meal, bran and yeast which I store in the fridge.

It fits exactly right in the corner of my pantry and has wheels so I can just wheel it out into the kitchen when I bake bread and wheel it back again when I'm done at the end of the day.

Happy Baking!!

~ Kathy



Grinding Wheat

 I've come to realize that wheat is the basis for nutrition. Full of mineral salts, calcium, and many other minerals as well as  vitamins A, B, E, K, D, and so on. We all know that whole wheat is a better alternative then white bread..but what are we losing when we purchased bread from the store that has been refined, processed  and packed full of preservatives?

So, This is what I've learned lately.

Whole wheat is a nutritious food but the vitamins and minerals dissipate quickly once the wheat has been ground into flour.

Within 24 hours of being ground into flour, 45% of its nutritional value is lost.

After 72 hours -90% of its nutritional value is lost.

That is 90% of the wholesome grains nutrition that does not make it into our family's bodys.

While, looking for more information on the subject I stumbled upon Jane Brody's Good Food book.

It has a lot of information in it about wheat and different types of flours. It makes note that

"refined wheat flour may be "compared to refined sugars and fat", which force a consumer to make up their nutritional deficiencies in the rest of the foods eaten."

Now, I've also been told that freshly ground whole wheat flour tastes better- I've never had yeast bread with fresh ground whole wheat flour BUT this gentleman at the farmers market makes an absolutely to die for Zucchini Bread with 100% whole wheat flour. It is soo amazingly good. When I asked what his secret was- he said "I grind all my own flour"

For the last 2 years, without knowing any of the above, I have had an urge to start grinding my own flour.

My husband grows wheat for Pete's sake - All I have to do is step out my back door.

So, This winter - my goal is to begin grinding my own wheat flour - to switch my family over to whole wheat everything (my oldest son will have the biggest challenge to this) and make all my own bread! (if anyone has a good sandwich bread recipe please let me know!)

So, I'm doing research on grinders.

Anyone have any recommendations?

I'm looking at the nutrimill

A friend of mine has one and seems to like it okay.

Another option would be an attachment for my kitchenaid

I've read some reviews and hear it works well but tends to quickly burn out your mixer's motor.

Would love to hear about everyone's experiences with grinding their own flour and your recommendations.

~Kathy