Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments about hard work yesterday. I’m even more determined to stick these kids’ noses to the grindstone. A few people asked what we do for allowance and all that money stuff and I have much to say about that…soon. (I still have to figure out how I want to tweak what we do…)

But right now I must give you one of my favorite recipes because ever since Kara gave it to me I crave making it (and eating it).

So I do…almost every week.

It is called “bread recipe for dummies.” (At least that’s what I call it because I can actually make it and turns out perfect every time…even when you forget to put the yeast in ’til the very end which I did once.)

The only problem with making healthy, home-made, whole-wheat bread is that it’s really not all that healthy when you eat a whole loaf yourself…nice and hot out of the oven with a little honey. Nope, not so good at all. But hey, it’s whole wheat and that counts for something, right?

Ok, so this is what you do:

Put these in a small bowl and let sit while you mix the rest of the ingredients:

2 tbs. yeast
1/2 c. warm water (tap hot)
1 tbs. sugar

In mixer, combine:

5 c. warm water (tap hot again)
7 c. freshly ground whole wheat flour

Mix.

Add:
2 tbs. salt
2/3 c. oil
2.3 c. honey (if you put the oil in a two cup measuring cup first, then add the honey right in there with it, it will come out all slick into the mixing bowl…that’s Max’s favorite part)
2 tbs. vital wheat gluten
2 tbs. dough enhancer

Mix all together.

Add one more cup of wheat flour.

Add yeast mixture, and mix again.

Gradually add 3-5 more cups of wheat flour until dough starts coming off the sides of the bowl. You don’t want it to be too dry but not too wet either. Tough call, but the more you make it the more you will realize how it should look.

Knead for 10 minutes (either by hand or in the Bosch).

Separate and shape into four loaves of bread (I spray Pam on my hands while I do this so it’s not so sticky).

Put in well-oiled bread pans. Let rise for 35-40 minutes or until almost doubled.

Bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes.

Enjoy.

(But try not to eat it all in one sitting.)

***post edit note: Sorry I should have explained dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten because I didn’t know what in the world they were before either. They can be found at bread stores where they sell Bosch machines and other bread helps. I bet if you google bread stores in your area you can find one. They’d probably also carry those things at Sprouts or Whole Foods.