Mama's Homemade Bread

There is not much that I love more than fresh baked bread!! I LOVE to bake bread and used to do it weekly for our family. As more children started coming and my life got busier and busier, I just stopped.

 Last week we ran out of bread!!!! Instead of making a trip "to town" to buy more, I decided I just needed to bake some since it had been awhile. The recipe that I like to use makes three loaves and of course you know that doesn't last too long in this house! If you don't have so many little ones eating it though, it freezes REALLY well and makes an excellent gift!

 

Hillbillie Housewife's White/Wheat Bread

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. salt
3 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. (2 pkg.) yeast
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
6 1/2 cups white flour

Mix sugar, flour and salt. Add water. Stir well and add yeast. Let set until it rises a bit, add vegetable oil. Mix well, then add flour (add the last cups of flour slowly until dough pulls away from sides, may or may not need the last 1/2 cup or so). Then, I knead in my stand mixer with dough hooks for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl (spray with cooking spray) and let rise until doubled in size. Turn out onto well floured surface and divide dough evenly into 3 pieces. I usually knead each loaf again for several minutes. Form 3 loaves, place into bread pans, and let rise again Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

I find the kneading very therapeutic and you can never knead it to much. I have made this with all white flour too. Either way it is delicious!

 My oldest son has been begging for more so looks like I need to go back to baking it weekly!