When I first married, (15 years ago) I knew (somewhat) how to cook. Well, I could read a recipe…and I could read the back of a box…

I made many things; most of them successfully. Except bread. Homemade bread soon became the bane of my existence. It never failed, as soon as it came out of the oven  I realized that something didn’t work.

Making homemade bread taught me patience.

I learned that most of my failures were because I had rushed. I couldn’t wait. You know the saying, “good things come to those that wait”? Well…it took me a looooooooong time to figure that out. Lol!

But in the last five years, I finally got it right! You would think that I would have given up, but for me, giving up was not an option. There was NO WAY I was going to let a measly loaf of bread beat me! I soon learned that making bread was quite easy…and…while I could make it in a bread machine (given to me by my husband’s grandmother) it had become a challenge to me…almost as if I could never be a good cook unless I had learned to bake a decent loaf of bread. (I don’t know why…my mom is a fantastic cook, and she never made homemade bread.)

So, I learned to wait. I learned to give it time. I learned to keep it warm. I also learned that if you have a good stand-by recipe, you’d be a total nut-case to change and try something else. So here is my stand-by recipe for bread. There are several things you can do with it…I’ll detail them below the recipe.

Homemade Bread

3 1/2 c. white wheat flour (divided)

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (divided)

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. salt

1 package active dry yeast

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 c. milk

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl; (you can do this by hand; however, it is MUCH easier if you use a stand mixer) stir well. Combine water, milk, and butter; heat until butter melts; stirring often. Cool to 120° to 130°.

Gradually add liquid mixture to flour mixture; beating well at high-speed. Beat 2 more minutes at medium speed. Gradually add 3/4 c. flour, beating at medium speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic ( about 10 minutes). Shape into a ball; put in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for one hour or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Divide dough in half. Roll one portion of dough into a 14 x 7 rectangle. Roll up dough, starting at narrow end, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch ends to seal. Place dough, seam side down in a well-greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cover and et rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for another hour or until doubled in bulk again. Bake at 375° for 45 – 50 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven immediately, rub stick of butter lightly over tops and let cool  on a wire rack.

Now…

I know that sounds like a lot of work, but think of that bread dough as a means to let go of frustrations.  For me, kneading  and punching the dough down, is a catharsis of sorts…a purging of anger or frustration…it’s my therapy of sorts, lol!

If you want to make bread for in the morning, do as the recipe suggests, except; when you put the dough into the loaf pans to let rise the second time, cover them and refrigerate. In the morning, pull out the dough and let rise the second time, and then bake as directed.

Let the fun begin…

For cinnamon-raisin bread: when you roll the dough out, brush it with 2 Tbsp. melted butter; combine 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over butter; sprinkle 1/3 c. raisins and 1/4 c. chopped pecans (optional) over top. Roll up and continue to let rise, just as recipe specifies. (The amounts listed are for one loaf)

For sausage bread: when you roll the dough out, scramble 1/2 lb. pan sausage in a skillet; let cool slightly. Sprinkle 1 c. mozzarella cheese over bread dough, then sprinkle sausage over the cheese. Roll up and continue to let rise, just as recipe specifies.

The possibilities for this bread dough are endless. You can make cinnamon rolls, pizza bread, etc.

Making bread, for me, is therapeutic; and when finished, I have a loaf of bread (or two) to serve. If you decide to attempt making bread, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.