There is something about the sense of smell that creates powerful emotions. It’s beautiful thing really.
Close your eyes and think of a favorite smell.
Is there a special memory tied to it?
Can you recall a specific event?
Maybe a Thanksgiving meal?
How about coffee brewing, brownies baking, bread rising?
(Notice my associations all go to food).
To me, the rousing aroma of freshly baked bread soothes my soul in a simple way.
It reminds me of days gone by, a simpler life, a time when families connected over the breaking of bread.
For most people, the thought of baking bread terrifies them.
” It takes too much time, it’s so much effort,
and I can’t even cook dinner for my family.”
Please don’t go running for the hills, it’s easier than you think. This isn’t a full scale tutorial…just some pictures to inspire you. Maybe this will be the week where you will rekindle your family’s senses and soothe them with the sumptuous smell.
For you city folk…this is whole wheat grain.
Remember “for amber waves of grain”…it’s really amber,
and that’s not just because of a bad camera.
When those “granola-y” types say they are grinding their own grain, don’t be too impressed.
I do too and it’s as easy as plugging in the curling iron. Just pour the amber waves of grain into the hopper and….
VOILA!!! Freshly milled, highly nutritious whole wheat flour.
Did you know that all flour loses the majority of its vitamins within hours of milling it?
Isn’t that a bummer since we buy it off the grocery shelves…oh well.
But have no fear….
you don’t really think I would go without the good old white flour.
No way…I am not always that healthy. Yes, I buy in bulk(those bags are 25 lbs).
When I bake, I bake for an army and freeze extras.
After you have easily mixed all the ingredients together, the dough will look like this.
Like I said, definitely not a complete tutorial. You are going to cover it and let it rise for about 30-40 minutes.
Yeast is a living thing, so it breathes (rises) all on its own…so puffy…I love that.
But then the part I love even more – punching it down.
A great aggression getter outter. See how it leaves my fist print – it feels great!
I take it out of the bowl and flatten it all out. The kids love this part because it feels neat. Then I divide it equally between loaves, rolls etc and shape them.
I will let it rise one more time. There are quick rise ways of making bread, but I didn’t have anywhere to be, so I opted for a 2nd rise.
Before….
AFTER (about 30-60 minutes depending on how hot your kitchen is)
Bake and TA-DAAA!! Can’t you smell it?Pass the butter, please..now the cinnamon and sugar (my fav).
It’s typically a little lighter in color but I yelled to my son to turn the oven off.
He did (but the bread stayed in…oops)
Carrying through on my daily theme of balancing the beauty and bedlam, I need to be real here. I took a long sabbatical from my weekly bread making tradition. For years, I would make 4-6 loaves of bread every week. It was easy. I could do it in my sleep (although the bread never turns out the same…go figure). My sister in love and I organized an order with other ladies from our food co-op. Montana Wheat brought a semi all the way to NC back in Y2K. Well, I have a closet full of various grains (yikes, even lentils)…so I better get grinding and baking.
My husband is highly encouraging it…in a sweet kind of “the dry ice is only good for 10 years, honey” kind of way. I would love to share some of my bounty if any one is in the area. Come use my grinder and we’ll break bread over some freshly brewed coffee and cinnamon rolls.
Bedlam I tell you…SHEER BEDLAM!
I can smell it! Now I want to taste it!
I love that beautiful looking bread…. I very rarely make it although I love fresh bread. I am intimidated.
I am also so stinking impressed with your 18 wheeler of grain, closet of grain, and cooking co-op!
I can hardly remember to get all the grocries needed each week.
Girl- you are balanced and organized and got it together to be able to do all this! Your the modern P31 woman!
Hey girl! It was so nice of you to stop by my blog. Thanks for the comment. I am enjoying reading yours and I wish I was there for some of that terrific looking bread. Ill be back.
Hi Jen,
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I’m sure you could use any stamp to do the plates or somthing else. I just used a small brush to paint on the acrylic paint each time I stamped. The bread looks so yummy! I was sitting here thinking of what to make for dinner tonight, and now I all I can imagine is that fresh bread…ooh I can totally smell it 🙂 Y’all enjoy!
-Hayley
Oh yum Yum YUM! I wish I lived closer so I could take you up on that offer. BTW – thank you so very much for the kind comment you left me today – it means the world!
there is nothing better….my favorite thing is to muuuush soft cheese such as Fontina or Port Salut in the warm bread and then of course apply it right to my hips…..sigh
thanks for stopping over..
let’s chat again
Oh Yea! A fellow bread maker! :o) I just said, “Honey, look, she bakes bread too!” He smiled at me!
I was going to post something about the nutritional value of grinding our own wheat and try to take the mystery out of it, so other families will see how simple it is. A little bit of an investment at first, but so worth it in the end!!
My dough is rising right now!!
Where do you purchase your wheat from? The company that we purchase ours through is out of hard white wheat. Right now it will be fine, because I have plenty, but I felt strange knowing that they could actually run out.
This is so neat! You home school, love the Lord, and bake bread!
I know what you mean about too many projects. I was at the same point not too long ago and picked up one project and worked at it until it was done, then on to the next. :o)
Do you know what a cloche is? I have wanted them for some time. I have now found 3 at the thrift store. I picked up one today for $2.00! I don’t like too much clutter and running out of places to put them, so will stop buying them. :o)
Also, I will begin teaching a 5th-6th grade class at church, so will bring my table cloth with me and put it on a plastic table I have. :o) It will be nice to add a few touches from home. :o)
~Tricia Anne
I forgot to mention … a friend of mine and her mom taught me how to make jelly/jam last fall, and I taught them how to make bread. When it came time for the jelly teaching, we had a loaf of bread and butter. It was a nice experience and what a treat afterwards. :o)
oh, p.s. please take a moment and go to my June archives and share in my son’s farm garden wedding….again thanks for the chat.
That looks delicious! One of these days I’m going to have the time to do something like that!
YUM-O as Rachael Ray would say. I love bread, but it loves me more if you know what I mean. It particularly likes my tummy, hips and butt and it won’t go away!
I am making bread in the morning!! We love doing it all ourselves. Just found your blog and I love it!
Lisa Q
lifewiththequeens.blogspot.com
Thanks for visiting. Hope you don’t mind me using that quote. I actually saw it awhile back somewhere else and your blog reminded me of it. They may have gotten it from you too!!
Take care,
Lisa Q
You are having way too much fun!
I baked my own bread once. It was awesome! I want to do it again but I want to grind my own grains this time. How do you grind your own? It looks like an interesting contraption… Thanks for your wonderful prose!
Awesome, awesome post! Very detailed instructions! I love punching down the dough, too. It just feels good! My kids like to do it, too. They always fight over who gets to do it. I love the loaf you made with the balls of dough, too. Very pretty. There is DEFINITELY nothing wrong with TWO bread posts on the same day at Homemaker Monday!
Love it all! Jut picked up 500 lbs of wheat last month, and another 100 total in flax seeds, quinoa, & sucanat. 🙂 Happy grinding!