Going Through A Phase

It started simply enough.  Now that Thatbaby is eating the same food as Thatboy and I, I want to make sure that what he's eating is healthy.  Or at least not crap.  I got the brilliant idea to make my own bread for him.  So I could keep an eye on the preservatives and give him something fresh from the hearth.

The problem is, it's been a while since I've made bread.  I forgot how much I love making bread.  I LOVE making bread.  I love the feel of the dough, the smell of the yeast, the joy of punching it down, its warm goodness straight from the oven.

They say it takes very little for an addict to relapse.  It's true.  I started innocently enough.   "I'll just make a loaf of white bread."  That's all it took.  I've been making bread ever since.  Making it faster than we can eat it. 

To be fair, Thatboy says I can't really call it white bread.  We don't have white flour in the house.  I traded it out for white whole wheat flour long ago.  Normally, it doesn't raise an eyebrow, but apparently when I set down a loaf of bread and call it "white bread" I've crossed some kind of line. 

So I won't all this white bread, I'll call it the gateway bread.  And you can expect to see many more bread recipes rolling through this way.

Not Quite White Bread (adapted from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

2 Tbsp shortening
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup hot milk
1 pkg yeast
6 cups white whole wheat flour

1. Mix the shortening, salt, and sugar in a large bowl, add the hot milk and 1 cup hot water, and let cool to lukewarm.  
2. In a small bowl or cup mix the yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.  
3. Add the dissolved yeast and 3 cups of the flour to the first mixture and beat until well blended.  
4. Add 2 more cups of flour, mix, and turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead for a minute or two and then let rest for 10 minutes.  
5. Adding just enough of the remaining flour so that the dough is not sticky, resume kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Put the dough in a large, greased bowl, cover, and let rise n a warm spot until double in bulk.  
6. Punch down and shape into two loaves.  Place in greased loaf pans, cover, and let double in bulk again.  
7. Preheat oven to 425.  Bake bread for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 375 and bake for 30 minutes more.  Remove from pan and cool on racks.