Mandy's Bread

Just the Recipe

2008-05-17T18:03:00.000-07:00

Mandy's Bread

5 cups hot water
1/3 C oil or butter
2/3 C honey
12-14 C freshly ground white wheat, use 1/2 white flour if using red wheat
2 T salt
2 T instant or rapid rise yeast

Knead 5 minutes, if you have a Bosch, a little more with any other mixer. Let rise till doubled, form into 4 loaves and let rise till doubled again. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until done.

Making Bread for the First Time

2008-04-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

I grew up making bread with my mom and in college I made a loaf every day--popped the ingredients in the breadmaker at night and it was hot and ready in the morning. My first time making bread by myself--no mom and no breadmaker...I was terrified! I still called mom, and this is the recipe we're going to use.

If I were simplifying life for a couple of hours. I would try not to plan anything else for at least 3 hours.making bread for the first time, I would, for sure, want to get it right. That may mean Impossible, you say? Perhaps. Now that making bread is second nature, when I make bread it really only takes about 20 minutes of my time, but my brain has to be at least half available for a couple of hours. The work is all at the beginning, but I don't run errands while the dough rises. Distractions will come up, so if I were back once again making my first loaf, I would just get a good book, an activity for the kids or the dogs or my husband, and be available for my bread. Whoever is trying to distract me is always happy with the results

2008-04-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

To get started on your first batch, look through your cupboards or go shopping for:

oil
honey
12-14 Cups of flour--find a good stone ground whole wheat flour in the baking section or order some online
salt
instant or rapid rise yeast-I buy it in bulk, but for your first time get 3 packets
oil spray (like PAM)

You'll also want to filter some water.

You'll also need to pull out or purchase the following equipment:
a plastic bowl that will hold at least 5 cups of water and fit in your microwave
a 1 Cup measuring cup
a 1/3 Cup measuring cup
a 2 Tablespoon measuring cup/spoon--or just use your 1 Tablespoon spoon twice, but I use my 2 T all the time. You can find it in the kitchen supply area of your grocery store, and it's usually called a coffee measurer or something
a mixer, such as Bosch or Kitchen Aid
a kitchen timer!
a huge bowl (like this one) for the bread to rise in
a thin but large towel to cover the dough while it rises
4 loaf pans
a meat thermometer to test your bread for doneness--optional, but you'll not regret it! You can get one at Walmart
a cooling rack