Bread

I love to make bread. I haven't always loved to make bread, but when I inherited this awesome beast of a mixer the love began to grow ... and grow. It's honestly about as old as I am! I know, I don't look that old, but, it seriously is.

I don't know how I became the chosen one to inherit the mixer. The favorite child. The middle child. The favorite child. Probably, the middle child. The love for bread making didn't come with the mixer, unfortunately. It took some time having it around, getting use to it, finding an actual place I could put it and then getting comfortable with the idea of YEAST!

But, my mom has always been super good at making bread, even my dad is an awesome bread maker, so you would think it would come naturally. I hate to brag, but once I took that leap and started making bread I found out I was pretty much a natural at making bread too. Not going to lie.

There were several tips I gathered before my first attempts at bread making, but probably the most important one was from my mom. She told me that if I gave a loaf away to someone every time I made bread, my bread would turn out. She was right! (Well, except one time it was a little extra dense and flat, but every other time it's turned out great!) (Oh, and except the other time that I forgot to add the salt and so I sprinkled some on top, which gave me an excellent idea for another twist to my bread recipes.)

I've tried a few recipes over the years, ones that have been in my family for years, recipes I pick up from church gatherings, recipes my husband has brought home from a cousin, etc. Then I've picked up tips like using wheat gluten, dough enhancer, potato flakes, vinegar as binders; how to let my bread raise, how to keep the yeast from going flat, etc.

But then I found THE bread recipe of ALL bread recipes! My mom actually pinned it on her pinterest board. What?! Was she keeping something from me?! The secret ingredient to this recipe is ... shhh ...  applesauce. I've tried substituting applesauce in other baked good recipes and am not a super big fan of what it does, so I was a little skeptical. I didn't want "cakey" bread. But hey, I'm always willing to try a new bread recipe.

Wow! Was it ever worth the try! Now I can't really use any other bread recipe. I've tried, but there's not another bread recipe like it out there. There's just simply not. Sorry.

Here's the link to the original recipe: miracle bread

And here's my take on it, just a few minor changes from the original. Granted I make this for 8 loaves, I will do my best to quarter it for 2 loaves. What? You're saying why is that so hard? Well, you see, recipes to me are just guides. Yeah, guides. If I'm talking to my mom while I'm making bread, she always asks me what combination I'm trying this time. She knows I can't stick with a recipe. It's true. I can't help it. But this recipe always, ALWAYS, turns out. Don't forget the salt. 

Maria's Version of Miracle Bread

1/4 c. sugar or honey
1/4 c. oil
 1/2 c. applesauce
 1 1/2 Tbl. yeast (quick-rising is the best!)
1 1/2 c. hot water
1 Tbl. white vinegar
1 c. oatmeal
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 Tbl. dough enhancer
1 1/2 Tbl. wheat gluten
4ish c. white flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Combine yeast, sugar and hot water in mixing bowl. Let sit while you gather the rest of the ingredients. (Get your salt out first. Just sayin'.) Add vinegar, oil, applesauce and oatmeal. Let sit for about 5 more minutes to let oatmeal soften. Then add whole wheat flour, dough enhancer, wheat gluten, 2 cups white flour and SALT. Mix and then add about 2 cups more flour until dough doesn't stick to the side of the bowl. Let it mix for about 10 minutes. The dough may initially not stick to the side of the bowl, but after mixing for a few minutes it may start getting sticky again, so add a little more flour until it doesn't stick anymore.

Take out of bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. Equally divide into 2 loaves, shape and place into greased pans. Let it raise for 30-45 minutes (it really does depend on the temperature of your kitchen.) Bake at 375 for 22-25 minutes. Turn out on cooling rack and let cool slightly before cutting. 

Trust me, you will thank me. And thank Chez Moi!

A few variations I've tried - oatmeal with white flour; seven grain cereal with white flour; seven grain cereal, oatmeal, wheat flour and white flour; white and wheat flour; even adding a little cornmeal to any of these is super yummy! If you use a seven grain, put it in with the water and let it soak a little to soften, too. The oatmeal basically dissipates, but the seven grain stays more firm and adds a nice texture to the bread.

Oh, and if you are looking for another super yummy and easy bread recipe that will make everyone think you're the best breadmaker EVER, try this one! 

You're welcome!  

Nudges

 

A couple of days ago I was getting ready to leave my house when I had this thought, prompting or nudge (we all probably call it something different) to stop and read the scriptures. My first thought was, no, I can do that a little later. I had to gather a couple of things before I left and, being the stubborn soul that I am, I had a couple more nudges. After about the 5th or 6th one, I thought, fine! I will! (Actually, I'm pretty sure I said it out loud.)

I pulled out my ... ipad, opened up my scripture app (because that's what I do these days) and went to the bookmark in my scriptures - Luke 22. As I started reading where I had left off the day before, I had this feeling that there was a lesson for me to learn. Maybe something to teach me about following those nudges the first time I feel them. :) As I read along, I came to verses 8-13 and something kind of caught my eye and I reread and then reread these verses again. A little background to these verses, it is time for the Passover. Christ sends Peter and John to arrange for a place for them to meet and have the Passover. He tells them to enter the city and a man would meet them. They are to follow him to the house he enters. There they are to ask the "goodman of the house" where the guestchamber is, where Christ can eat the passover with his disciples. I've read this several times before, but this time I stopped, and instead of thinking about what was going to happen next, I paused and thought about the two men that Peter and John approached.

Did they receive nudges? Did the first man follow the prompting that he received to go to the entrance of the city, maybe not knowing why, but found that he was in the right place at the right time to guide Peter and John to the "goodman's" house? And, what about the "goodman"? Did he receive a nudge to perhaps go and clean his upper room and furnish it, not knowing who he was preparing it for, just knowing that he needed to follow the prompting? No questions asked?

Not a super profound thought, but, kind of. Most of the nudges, thoughts or promptings I receive aren't huge, life-changing or profound. Most of them are quite simple, don't take much effort and can be fulfilled in a matter of minutes. After I follow through, I feel a sense of fulfillment, satisfaction and peace.