12.20.2009

if you could eat christmas

my mom is the best breadmaker on the planet. she is--at least to me.
and lots of other people i know, so it's pretty much gospel truth, right?
she came over yesterday and made bread with [for] me for the second time this season. it was perfect, just like i always remember it being when she would make it when i was a kid.

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i always get really excited when the dough starts to rise. they're aliiiive!!

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the taste and smell of childhood...yeast, flour, melted butter.

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i want these guys to remember it exactly the same way--
topped with a touch of cinnamon and sugar and some hot cocoa on the side.

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even though she didn't intend it to be, this was one of my best christmas gifts this year.
[thanks, mom!]

and my gift passed down to you:

Whole Wheat Bread

>lightly stir together and set aside to activate:
1 cup warm water
3 Tbs. yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
>mix ingredients together in mixer:
4 cups hot water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup honey
2 Tbs. salt
5 cups whole wheat flour
>then add 5-5 1/2 MORE cups of flour [we use white bread flour for a half & half mixture]  to mixing bowl along with the yeast mixture. let it knead for at least 10 minutes.
>grease 4 loaf pans and divide the dough into 4 parts. cover with a damp cloth and let rise until almost double in size.
>bake at 325 to 330 degrees for about 35 minutes or til lightly browned or sounds hallow if you tap the tops.
>remove from pans, butter tops, enjoy!

merry, merry, merry, merry christmas! 
carol of the bells - the bird and the bee

3 comments:

Tanya Leigh said...

MMmmmm... thanks for the recipe. I just had a somewhat failed attempt the other day, and that was just sad. Especially since I rarely get up the courage to make bread.

It wooks dewicious! :)

jfbast said...

tanya- i haven't worked up the courage to do it by myself yet. failure is so disappointing when it comes to bread, you're just so looking forward to it.

p.s. i believe this is the same recipe your mom uses.

Rachel said...

mmm... that would smell so good in my house... *hint, hint*