Bread . . .mmm!!!

A couple of people have asked for my bread recipe.  I thought I would just post it here for easy reference.  Keep in mind - Bread making is an art, not a science.  This is only a base to follow.  Temperatures in your house, humidity, flour type, etc all effect the bread.  Don't give up on first try.  I made bread every week for three months before I got right.  And I still have weeks were it's edible, but not great.  Happy Bread Baking!

               Medlin Homestead Bread

Ingredients

2 Cups of Warm Water

1 1/2 Tablespoons Yeast

Pinch of Sugar

5 1/2 Cups of Bread Flour

3 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tablespoon Salt

4 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup Honey, Molasses, Sorghum, or Syrup

2/3 Cups of Oil (Olive, Vegetable, etc.)

Pour 1/2 cup of warm water in small bowl and add yeast and sugar - let set 10 minutes 

Prepare in mixing bowl 1 1/2 cups of bread flour, salt, eggs, oil, remaining 1 1/2 cups of water and your choice of honey, molasses, sorghum, or syrup.  Each of these will give your bread a slightly different taste and color.  ex. Molasses gives you a more rustic tasting darker bread, while honey will give you a sweet light bread.  Mix these ingredients with paddle. 

Switch to dough hook and slowly add remaining flour about a cup at at time.  The dough will begin to form and pull from the sides of the bowl.  Once the bowl is free of dough on the side, allow the dough hook to knead the dough for about 4 minutes.  

Gentle lift dough out of bowl and spray the bowl with non-stick spray.  Drop your dough back in and spray top lightly.  Cover with thin cloth and allow to rise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in a warm place.  Dough should double in size.  Temperature and time of year will vary your rise time.

After dough has doubled, carefully punch down dough with your fist, cover and let rise for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, again watching for it to double.

Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled surface. Use dough knife and divide into four equal parts.  Theses will be your loafs.  You may gently shape them how ever you wish.  Once shaped gently drop loaf onto work surface to allow any air bubbles in the bread to escape.

Place in greased baking pans.  Be sure to pinch and tuck the ends so the loaf will rise correctly.  Beat one egg with tablespoon of water and brush on top of loaves.  Allow them to rise for 45 minutes - about an inch over the pan. 

About 20 minutes before baking turn oven on 350 and move rack to middle of oven.  When rise if finished glaze again and sprinkle top if you desire with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, oat flakes, etc.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes and immediately remove from pan and allow to cool on cooling racks.  This is when I rub my crust down with butter.  This is optional.  Slicing is easiest with an electric knife.  Bread can be frozen.  Slice first for easy thawing and double wrap for air tight freezing.  By making four loaves, I find you have a loaf to eat hot out of the oven with butter, a loaf for sandwiches early in the week, a loaf to freeze for later in the week, and a loaf for the neighbors.

Once you get the hang of it you can experiment with folding in lots of the goodies on the final rise, dry fruit and nuts, cinnamon and sugar, garlic and herbs.  This recipe can also be used to make buns just shape and mold before the final rise. 

Granola - Yummy!

Here is a homemade Granola Recipe.
It's from a friend at church.

Granola by Barb

6 cups old fashion oats

3/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup coconut

i blend mine in the chopper a few times so my family doesn't know it's in there :-)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

i have made with and without - sometimes i throw these in with coconut to chop to release a different flavor

1 cup chopped nuts

 i have used all kinds - peanuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, almonds, again i chop these fine - you can leave them in bigger chunks if you like

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk

2/3 cup honey

2/3 cup oil

2 tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl combine oats, wheat germ, coconut, sesame seeds, nuts, and dry milk.
Combine honey, oil, water and vanilla.
Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and stir well.
Turn into large shallow baking pan.
Bake 325 for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Stir several times while cooking.
When cool, you can add dried fruit or chips. - I have used raisins, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, banana chips, and mini-chocolate chips at various times.  Sometimes I combine; sometimes they stand alone.
Store in airtight container.

Homemade Shower Cleaner

Have had a lot of requests for the shower cleaner recipe I found on-line.
Here it is. . .

1/2 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide
1/2 cup of Rubbing Alcohol
1/4 tsp of dish soap (6-8 drops)
2 tsp of white vinegar
1 1/2 cup of water

This did not fill my bottle, and doubling it would have been too much, so on my last batch I altered the recipe just bit - adding more vinegar and not as much water. It is working great.  It has cut the hard water from glass shower and is keeping the grime away :)

my altered recipe
1 cup peroxide
1 cup alcohol
1/2 tsp of dish soap
1/2 cup white vinegar
fill the rest of bottle with water

Let me know what you try and how it works . . .

Quick Meals

Ok, you find yourself crunched for time and you need a meal quick.
We know that picking up something is not in the budget, so what do you do?

What is your favorite throw together meal?

I will give you a few of mine to get started :)

Jar of Alfredo and bag of noodles - $2.00 for Alfredo and $.50 for noodles - just feed whole family for $2.50, if we want to splurge we add a can of white meat chicken for an extra $1.50
Pancakes or Waffles - total cost of all ingredients runs me about $2 - again if we want to splurge I might cook some bacon or sausage for an additional $2 or $3
Pizza Baked Spaghetti - fast and easy, just cook some of your favorite noodles, put in baking pan, top with a can of spaghetti sauce and then top like a pizza and bake - total cost about $5

Now tell me yours . . . I can't wait to try them.  I am always running out of time!

Gallons, Quarts, Pints, and Cups - THIS IS COOL!