Best Bread Recipe Around

For many people homemade bread is something they are afraid to tackle. Well, here is my FAVORITE bread recipe that works every time! I try to have a year supply of ALL of the ingredients I need to make bread at all times. Below I have told where you can buy basic bread ingredients at the lowest prices. You may need to be patient if you do not have your year supply of wheat or flour. Costco is currently out and so is the cannery. If you call them every couple of days, you will most likely be able to catch them on a day when they have a new shipment of it. Also, if you do not have a wheat grinder yet, use your Stimulous Package money and go and get one. Once you start using it--you will LOVE it! I put wheat flour in pretty much EVERYTHING that asks for flour (I do 1/2 white, 1/2 wheat). Keep a large tupperware of wheat flour in your pantry and it will help you use it on a regular basis. I even add what flour to my cookies and cakes--it makes me feel less guilty for eating so many :)

Strawberries are on sale this week--make some homemade freezer jam and some wheat bread and there is nothing better! Wheat pancakes with homemade jam is another favorite in our house.

Dianne's Wheat Bread

Full Recipe: (makes four loaves)
5 c. Hot water

1 c. sugar
3 T. yeast (Costco least expensive--keep in the freezer so it will last longer)
2/3 c. oil (watch for it to go on sale for $2/48 oz.)
2 T. salt (Costco 25lbs. around $3)
3 T. lemon juice (Costco least expensive)

1/3 c. vital wheat gluten (if you don't have it, it will still be great, just not as soft & pliable)
10-12 c. flour (white or wheat)

(Wheat Cannery $6.75/25lbs.--call to make sure it's in stock before you go and get it)

In a bowl, place hot water, sugar and yeast. Mix and let stand for 5 minutes to grow. Add oil, lemon juice and salt. Slowly mix in flour 1 cup at a time. Once flour is mixed in, knead for 5 minutes (4 min. if white). If the dough is too sticky, add another 1/2 c. until dough is sticky, but manageable. Don't add to much flour. If your dough has too much flour it will be hard and dry. Cover bowl and let rise to the top. Spread a thin layer of shortening or oil on the counter to keep the dough from sticking to the counter. This also helps to keep your dough moist--flour on the counter can make your dough tough. Cut the dough into four equal parts. Put in four loaf pans and push down all sides of the dough into the four corners of the pan equally. This makes your bread cook evenly and not have any high or low parts of the bread that can burn. Put the 4 loaf pans in the oven at 170 degrees. Let the dough rise in the oven until it is the size you would like it to be when you cook it (about 1 inch above the pan). Once the dough has risen, turn the oven to 350 degrees. Don’t take the dough out of the oven when raising the temperature, or open the oven door during this process. Cook until bread is golden brown (around 30 minutes).