As the name of my blog indicates, I spend a lot of time thinking about home. Of course, my Heavenly Home is the one that is eternal, so that’s where I need to lay up my treasures, and that’s the one I’m striving for. But in the meantime, I have been given this tiny piece of the here-and-now—this home on the edge of town, this family, this neighborhood—in which to serve Him. And, though this is in the earthly realm, I want the things that happen here to be investments in the Heavenly realm.




Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Bread On Tuesday ~ Week 4 {Multi-Grain Bread}


If you're looking for a bread that is packed with nutritional goodness, then this is the bread for you.  I clipped this recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine in 1996.  Oh my.  Has it really been that long?  Sixteen-plus years?  It seems I am always getting these little reminders of my age.  

Back to bread-making...



This was a satisfying recipe in more ways than one.  Since I have had my stand mixer, I have rarely kneaded my dough, letting the dough hook attachment do the work instead.  But this dough kept coming up over the top of the attachment (I have a 5-quart bowl), so I removed it from the mixer and kneaded it by hand.  I had forgotten how satisfying it was to manipulate dough in your hands until it is "right."  

The other part of the satisfaction was the final product.  Although the number and amount of grains had me anticipating a dense, heavy bread, it was not that at all.  Certainly not as light as, say, white dinner rolls.  But fine-textured and chewy and flavorful.  And I could tell myself that it was good for me.  Maybe even more nutritious than coffee and dark chocolate! ~wink~ 

This recipe makes two loaves.  I used one loaf to make grilled cheese-and-apple sandwiches and served it with soup left over from the weekend.  The other will be served with dinner another night this week.  If it lasts that long.  It might end up being toasted for breakfast or sliced to make sandwiches for lunch.  We'll see...




(Makes 2 loaves)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups warm water (105-115° F)
5 teaspoons fresh yeast
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup cooking oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ*
3 1/4 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
  • In a bowl, stir together warm water and yeast.  Allow to sit for 20 minutes.  Add honey, oil, eggs, and salt; beat until combined.  Add dry milk powder, oats, cornmeal, and wheat germ; beat until combined.
  • Add 1 cup of the all-purpose flour and all of the whole wheat flour; beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl.  Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.  Using a spoon, stir in rye flour and as much remaining all-purpose flour as you can.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in enough remaining all-purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic, 7 to 9 minutes.  Shape into a ball.  Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.  Cover; let rise in a warm place till double (30-40 minutes).
  • Punch dough down.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide in half.  Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.  Shape each half into a loaf.  Place in 2 greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.  Cover; let ruse in a warm place till nearly double (15-20 minutes). 
  • Bake in a 375°  oven for 35 -40 minutes or till bread sounds hollow when tapped.  Remove from pans; place on a wire rack.  Brush with butter**.  Cool completely.  

~ ~ ~

MY NOTES:
*  I was too lazy to toast the wheat germ.  And I was trying to mix the dough while Bekah was doing her math lesson.  So I just tossed it in straight from the jar.  It was fine.  

** If you forget to brush with butter, the bread is still good.  




 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
Proverbs 104:14, 15

4 comments:

  1. Oh a good hearty bread is very satisfying. I don't usually keep the ingredients on hand since they go bad so quickly. Wheat germ? Nope. Don't have any. Whole wheat flour? Nope.

    Now I do want to discuss this grilled cheese and apple sandwich you speak of? How is that accomplished?

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    Replies
    1. I keep a jar of wheat germ and a bag of whole wheat flour in the fridge. They'll keep a good while that way.

      To make the grilled cheese and apple sandwich...butter one side of both slices of bread. Place buttered side down on the hot griddle. Put a couple of slices of sharp cheddar on top of one slice of bread. On the other, place very thinly sliced apple and sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon and a tiny amount of sugar. After the cheese gets melty, flip that slice over onto the apple slice.

      I made the mistake of putting the apples directly onto the cheese this time, which meant the apples didn't get warmed. Nor did they stick to the cheese, so when I flipped the sandwiches, they wanted to fall apart. Plus, the bread was kind of thick, making the cheese slower to melt.

      Oh but that combination of flavors was sooooo yummy. I'll just correct my mistakes and try it again!

      Delete
    2. That sounds like a delicious sandwich!

      Your bread sounds good too.

      Deanna

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  2. Oh that bread is beautiful, Cheryl. And apples and cheese are always great together.

    ReplyDelete

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