Bread is for sharing!

We have a couple of recipes that we wanted to share with you . . . after all, what fun is baking bread if you don't get to share with your friends! Here are a couple of USAB team member's favorites:

From Elizabeth: Years ago, I used to grind my wheat and make all the bread we ate. Those days are long gone, but the family still asks for this bread. It’s delicious, and the dough enhancer makes it almost as fluffy as store-bought.

Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

1–2 tablespoons yeast

2¼–2¾ cups warm liquid

1–4 tablespoons honey, molasses, or maple syrup

2 teaspoons salt

¼ cup butter or oil

6–8 cups whole-wheat flour

Homemade Dough Enhancer:

¼ cup gluten

2 tablespoons soy lecithin

1000 milligrams vitamin C powder or granules

Directions:

1. Mix dough enhancer ingredients in small bowl; set aside.
2. Mix yeast with 3 cups flour.
3. Mix water, sweetener, and oil in a mixer bowl; add yeast/flour mixture and stir together to combine.
4. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly; add dough enhancer.
5. Turn on mixer and add salt. Add flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls off the sides of the bowl.
6. Knead dough, cover with a towel until it doubles in size, and then knead it again.
7. Shape dough and put it in two 9" x 5" loaf pans; set in 150°F oven to rise again. After the dough rises, increase the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown.

From Cindy: At the Murphy house, we like to use mini loaf pans for this recipe, and you can make up to 3. They make great gifts anytime and also freeze well.

This recipe also makes great muffins. I discovered this when I started making the mini loaves and still had batter left. So now I usually make 2 mini loaves and then muffins with the remaining batter. Also, for the muffins, I use mini chocolate chips instead of regular-size chips.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sour cream

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

⅛ teaspoon salt

1½ cups mashed banana (approx. 3 medium-size bananas)

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter (or margarine) and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and fluffy. Stir in sour cream.
2. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.
3. Stir in bananas, nuts, and chocolate chips. Mix just until well blended.
4. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until well browned. Check center for doneness with a toothpick.

From Renita: My mother-in-law, has made these rolls forever. They are a family favorite, we even call them “Grandma Rolls,” but no one has been able to make them taste as good as she does!

Grandma Rolls

Ingredients :

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons salt

4 cups warm water (about 110°F)

1 cup oil

3 pkgs of yeast

12–13 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. Stir sugar and salt into warm water until dissolved. 
2. Add oil, then yeast.
3. Stir in about 4 cups of flour at a time. Keep adding flour, stirring until the dough is not sticky (use more or less as needed). Start this around 3 p.m., and let it sit, covered, on counter until it is doubled in size.  
4. Roll dough into small balls about the size of a golf ball. Place on a cookie sheet and cover. Let rise until morning. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Yield: 3–4 dozen.

Come back tomorrow for a couple more bread recipes. If you have a bread recipe to share, share it with us, we'd love to try it! Leave your favorite in our comments section to share it with your friends.

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