The Joy's of Baking Bread, This Gift that Keeps on Giving

When ever I think of fresh baked bread I think of my mother.  This picture is how I remember her most.  She was lovely.   Her birthday is in December.  This picture of my mother is my childhood mother.  Glamorous in every way.  She was classy.  Heads turned when she walked into a room  I was so proud of her.  Once I talked my friend in coming to see her.  I wanted to show off my mom.  It turned out that it was hair day and she showed up with her head in a towel.  I assured my friend she really was pretty.  

I have talked about her in my blog before.  She had a great influence on my life.  Especially when it comes to making bread.  In my younger most impressionable years she made bread every Monday.  Looking back on life that was one of the few comforts I really remember.  I felt loved and still the smell of  fresh baked bread makes me feel loved, comfortable, and welcome. 

One thing I have come to understand as I have gotten older is how the gift of making bread from my mother has blessed me in so many ways.  It is truly the gift from her that just keeps on giving.  Let me tell you,  her bread set a standard for me about just how good bread can and should be.  It was perfect and I am not just saying that, it was true.   She made her bread by hand using all white flour, sugar, Crisco, salt, and water.  It was amazing and made the best toast I have ever had.  I think it was the Crisco.   

I am certain that my mother never realized the gift of her baking bread would have such a profound effect on my life.  I know for certain that as she was kneading the bread by hand,  cleaning up the mess, waiting for it to rise and bake, that the thought never passed her mind that one day her gift that she was giving me would bless my life in so many ways and in the process bless thousands of others as I have shared my passion with them.   She just was doing what it took to get by without any thought of the future, just what mothers do every day.  

I have learned from this experience that the small and simple things we do make the biggest impact on others,  especially when it comes to what we do with foods.  Baking bread is magic.  It's gift keeps on giving for a life time.  

This picture is a great blessing to me.  My dear friend sent it to me.  I taught her how to make bread and she raised her family on fresh baked bread.
















That is a picture of me.  That happy face is the face of a child that loves his mom's fresh baked bread.

There are so many breads to make.  My family loves this one.  Rosemary flat bread.  It brings great memories to them that I hope will last forever.

One of my greatest joys has been teaching others how to make bread.  And I have loved working with the Wondermix family.  They help me make dreams come true.  This sweet woman has a HUGE family and was so happy to get a Wondermix so she could give the gift of baking bread for her family.

I love modern technology,  From baking bread by hand to using a Wondermix, times have changed.  My mother would have loved this mixer.  She spent hours doing her bread,  I can do what she did in just over one hour from start to finish and my bread is just as good as hers,  Ok, only when I use Crisco does it taste as good as hers.   But it is still great bread without Crisco,  I use butter now.  Baking bread is truly a wonderful gift to give those around us.  From the memories of receiving a fresh loaf,  to sitting down and cutting a hot loaf up and covering it with butter and jam.  Truly baking bread is the gift the never stops giving.  

Good Ole White Bread

6 cups hot water

1 cup sugar

1 cup Crisco

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 cup yeast, instant

About 18 cups white flour,  clean chemical free flour

In your Wondermix with the dough hook in place,  place hot water, sugar, Crisco, salt, and half the flour.  Place yeast on top of the flour and turn on mixer.    It will start to mix,  start adding flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  No matter what the recipe tells you stop adding flour when dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl.  Knead for six minutes.  Remove from bowl and place on oiled counter.  Divide dough into 2 lb. loaves and place in loaf pans.  Let rise to double and place in and hot preheat 400 degree oven.  Drop heat to 350 and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until bread is done.  Bread is done when internal temperature reached 180 degrees.  This can be checked with an instant read thermometer.

Remove from pans.   Enjoy one loaf right away hot dripping with butter and jam.  Enjoy the rest with sandwiches, or toasted for breakfast or a snack.  

Enjoy

Chef Brad~America's Grain Guy

"Changing the world one grain at a time".

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