I read in the price-of-bread thread that many here make their own bread regularly.  I would love to see the basic or favorite recipe you use, especially the ones with different grains. 

I still have plenty of outdoor projects I'm trying to finish up, but come true fall weather, I'm dying to start baking hot and heavy again, so please share your most-used recipe...Liz
 

Bread w/out Kneading
(Makes 7 Loaves)

5 lb. flour
2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2 pkg. dry yeast
7 c. water
1 1/2 c. Crisco

NOTE: This is a never fail recipe. It's a good basic recipe
for cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, etc. Absolutely no kneading.

The night before, using a very large turkey roaster or canning kettle, mix flour, sugar, salt and Crisco with hands until cornbread consistency. Dissolve 2 packages yeast
in 2 cups warm water. Add yeast water to flour mixture. Add 5 cups cold water; mix thoroughly with hands. Cover and let rise overnight. Next morning, spoon dough into 7 greased bread pans. Pat into loaf with floured hands. Let rise for approximately 3 hours. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Freeze Ahead Cinnamon Rolls 

1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1 cup water
2 1/4 oz envelopes active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (100º to 110º)
9 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (9 1/2 to 10 cups)
5 large eggs -- lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening -- melted
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine -- softened
1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans -- toasted
1/2 cup raisins -- optional

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese -- softened
2 tablespoons butter or margarine -- softened

Stir together potato flakes and 1 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes; stir.
Combine yeast and 2 cups warm water in a 2 cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.
Combine mashed potatoes, 4 cups flour, eggs, and next 3
ingredients in a 6 quart bowl. Stir in yeast mixture until blended. Gradually stir in
remaining 5 1/2 to 6 cups flour until soft dough forms.
Cover and let rise in a warm place (85º), free from drafts, 1 hour or until
doubled in bulk.  Divide dough in half. Roll each portion on a lightly floured
surface into an 18x15 inch rectangle. Spread each with half of butter; sprinkle
with 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 cup pecans, and, if desired,
1/4 cup raisins. Roll up, jelly roll fashion, starting at a long edge. Cut each roll
into 1 inch thick slices. Arrange in 4 (9x13 inch) pans or in 8 (8-inch) square pans.
(Rolls can be place in foil pans and frozen at this point.)

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85º) free from drafts, 30 minutes or
until doubled in bulk.  Bake at 375º for 25 minutes or until golden.
Drizzle with glaze. Yield: about 3 dozen

GLAZE: Whisk together first 4 ingredients (powdered sugar, milk, water and vanilla) until blended; add cream cheese and butter, whisking until smooth. Yield: about 1 cup

NOTES: You can stir up a batch of these cinnamon rolls a month ahead of time, place them in disposable pans, and store in the freezer. If you give these Cinnamon Rolls as a gift before baking, double the Glaze recipe and include about 1/4 cup in a small ziplock plastic bag with each gift. Add instructions to place the bag in hot water, snip a corner and then drizzle over baked rolls. As indicated, unbaked rolls may be frozen. To bake, remove from freezer, and thaw in refrigerator for 8 hours. Bake as directed.

Freeze 'n Bake Apple Coffee Cake
 
1/2 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. sour cream
2 C. chopped raw apples

Topping:
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 C. chopped nuts
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream together the shortening and sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in sour cream. Combine dry ingredients well, then stir into
sour cream mixture.  Fold in apples.
Divide into 2 greased and floured  8 x 8 pans.
Combine topping and sprinkle evenly over cakes.
Cover tightly with foil and freeze.

To Bake:  Bake frozen in a preheated oven 350 deg. for 1 hour
or until cake tests done.

Frozen Bread Dough
Makes 3 loaves
 
6 1/4 c. unbleached flour or bread flour
2 pkg. dry yeast
2 c. skim milk
3 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast.  In a saucepan, heat
milk, margarine, sugar, and salt just until warm (115 to 120 degrees),
stirring constantly until margarine almost melts.  Add liquid to dry
ingredients in mixing bowl along with eggs.  Beat at low speed for 1/2
minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly.  Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
Stir in remaining flour as you can, mixing  in with a spoon.  Turn out onto a
lightly floured surface. Knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that
is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total).  Divide dough into thirds.
Shape each portion into loaves or rolls. Store in freezer container with a
double thickness of waxed paper between.

To bake:  Remove loaf from freezer and put in well greased loaf pan, cover and let rise until double.  Bake in a preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

Frozen Coconut Caramel Dessert

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (7-ounce) can flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (12.25-ounce) jar caramel sauce
---
Combine first 3 ingredients, and press into a lightly greased 13- x 9 inch baking
dish. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned; cool.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan; add coconut and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
Cook over low heat, stirring often, until coconut is golden; cool.
---
 Beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk at medium speed with an
 electric mixer until smooth.  Fold in whipped topping. Layer one third
 each of cream cheese mixture, caramel sauce, and coconut mixture over crust.
 Repeat layers twice. Cover dessert, and freeze up to 6 months.
 Makes 15 servings.

**Ooppps did I post that?  Well no time to delete it...  : ) 

well time to get the bread machine out and Im gonna have bread this week..

 

Thanks, BC!  And that last bread recipe sounds great!   Liz

 I use the same basic yeast bread recipe I learned in home ec.... that many years ago. You can change the type of fat, liquid, sugar, etc., and it always comes out great.

1 tablespoon sugar (or molasses, honey, or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon dry yeast (or 1 cup sourdough or 1 package of yeast)
1 teaspoon salt (sea salt or plain table salt)
1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (canola or olive oil, or lard, or shortening or butter)
1 cup water (or half water and half milk, or potato water, or whole milk or rice milk)
3 - 4 cups flour

Put sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Warm liquid with the fat until it's almost uncomfortable to put your finger in, but no more. Better a little too cool than a little too hot. Add the liquid and fat and mix well. Let it set for 5 to 10 minutes (longer if you're busy), then begin adding flour and stirring. When the dough becomes too stiff to mix with a spoon, turn it out onto a floured board or table top and knead about 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Prepare a rising bowl by putting a light coating of oil or solid fat in it. Make a ball of the dough, push it into the bowl, and turn it over. Cover with a cloth and put in a warm place to rise. Punch down, place in loaf pans and let rise again. Bake, starting at 400 degrees (you don't have to preheat the oven). After the first half hour, turn the oven down to 350 and continue to bake until the loaves are browned and sound hollow when tapped - about another half hour.


 

Pat, do you use a combination of white and w.w. flour?  I think you're the one in the other thread that was going to start using more of your own ground flour than white...Liz

Banana Bread

 

Ingredients:
3 bananas -- ripe or overripe; (4 if small)
1 cup sugar -- may use less
1 egg
1/2 cup nuts -- optional
1 1/2 cups flour -- or 1 cup white and 1/2 cup whole wheat
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:
Beat all ingredients except the butter together until blended. Add the butter. Pour into loaf pan. Bake 1 hour in preheated oven - 325ºF or until done.

 

TizzyLizzy:

Pat, do you use a combination of white and w.w. flour?  I think you're the one in the other thread that was going to start using more of your own ground flour than white...Liz

 

Yes, I use white and whole wheat flour combined, leaning more toward whole wheat only all the time. I also use bean flour, rye, barley and oat quite often, but all combined with wheat for the gluten (so it will rise).  

I thought it was you.  We have several cans of red wheat stored - I need to break into them and start getting us used to mixed-grain bread.  We use a hand grinder, tho, so it's a little work, but it sure smells and tastes fresh that way!  Liz

Freshly milled grain is a lot healthier, too, because it loses vitamins quickly.

 I used to use a hand grinder exclusively, now I use a Vitamix at least part of the time. (Old age catching up with me.)