OK first off this is for you "A".:
The Master Bread Recipe
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Place in a Bosch Mixer (I've used my kitchen aid to make this but the Bosch defiantly does a ton better)
5 Cups of warm water
1/2 Cup of oil
1/2 cup of Honey
1 Heaping Tablespoon salt
3 Tablespoons Yeast
1 heaping Tablespoon dough enhancer (I typically don't add this and I haven't noticed a difference)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
10 Cups ground wheat flour (I most always grind my wheat right before but I have used store bought flour a time or two)
A couple of additional cups of flour
Turn on Bosch, knead on speed 1 and quickly add as much additional flour as you need for dough to pull away from side of the bowl. It should only pull initially half way up the side of the bowl, and during the 5 minutes of mixing it will completely pull away. Add back in 2-4 tablespoons of water (more if needed) to keep your dough soft. Oil you hands and counter top well. Divide dough into 5 loaves (for regular size loaves) shape into a bread loaf and let rise in loaf pans, sprayed with a non-stick spray. Let rise for about 30 minutes in well-oiled pans or until they have doubled in size. Turn over down to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes depending on you oven.
This is a very basic and almost fool proof recipe. Easy and quick. I realized as I went to make this that I loaned several of my bread pans out to somebody so I only had seven pans to make bread with. However they are the very long pans for larger loaves. I made all seven and they should last my family about 6 weeks. I do freeze them and have kept them frozen for up to four or five months and they are fine.
If you have any other bread recipes please feel free to share! I hoped that answered all your questions, "A". And I can't wait til you come back...take your time though, I'll wait. :)
Since I was borrowing my friends Bosch I went ahead a made a ton of cookie dough. Yum.
We were successful in keeping with our five o'clock melt down tradition today...who doesn't love the four of five o'clock hour!? It's always a lovely time in our neck of the woods.
Took the boys swimming after school today. They had fun and it was nice because we only drove 5 minutes to get there.
Buster got his midterm report today. His overall score is a 97.9%. Not to shabby. I think that equals an A+.
Pops got invited to the Cardinals game tonight. He seemed pretty happy to go. I hope he's having fun!
Crate loves me so much that during the night he's willing to wake up and see me multiple times. I'm blessed to have a healthy baby that I can take care of day or night, I know he wont always be wanting/needing me. I must cherish it now even if it is at 1am and 3am and 4am.
Tonight I found a note on my pillow with three dollars in it. The note said "Mom, I love you. From your favorite child" When I asked Buster what this was all about he told me: "Thank you for all the food you bought yesterday and for buying us a treat, I gave you the money to help pay for the food."
Then I remembered our conversation in the grocery store yesterday. He asked me how much I thought all the groceries would cost and I told him about 100 dollars. He was amazed it would cost that much so obviously he had been thinking a lot about it today. He's so sweet but I hope he doesn't start worrying about family finances already. He's a little to young for that kind of stress...and so am I.
