Fast and Easy Whole Wheat Bread

Fast and Easy Whole Wheat Bread
Yields 2 (8x4 loaves)
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/

2 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 TBSP dry active yeast

3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 TBSP salt
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey or 1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 TBSP lemon juice

2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Mix together yeast and water and allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes. Add 3 ¾ cup flour to yeast mixture and let rest for 10 minutes. Add salt, oil, honey or sugar, and lemon juice and mix for one minute. Add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing between each cup. Knead for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This makes very soft dough.

If you are kneading by hand, gradually add last cup of flour to keep dough from sticking to counter. You will add more flour when kneading by hand. With wheat flour always add the least amount of flour possible to keep the bread moist. Knead for 10 minutes before shaping into loaves.

Pre-heat oven for one minute to lukewarm and then turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves and place in oiled bread pans. Let rise in warm oven for about 15-18 minutes or until dough reaches the top of the pan. Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on racks.

*****
I really enjoy this 100% whole wheat recipe, it’s so fast as it skips the usual first rise and goes directly into the pans. Recipe courtesy of “Emergency Food in a Nutshell" by Leslie Probert.

Butter Dip Breadsticks

Butter Dip Breadsticks
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1/3 cup butter or butter blend

2 1/4 cup flour
3 TBSP sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400° F. While oven is preheating, place 1/3 cup butter in a 9x13 pan and place in oven and allow butter to melt. In a small mixing bowl combine dry ingredients, then mix in milk with a fork. On a flat surface, pat dough to 1/2 inch thick rectangle, then cut into 1 inch strips. Remove pan from oven. Dip strips of dough in butter coating both sides, then place in 9x13 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes (check breadsticks at 20 minutes, then turn breadsticks over if tops are browning too much). Serve warm.

*****
These are the fastest breadsticks ever. The longest step is waiting for the oven to preheat! I admit, I enjoy yeast breads that have hours to rise and develop their flavor the best, but in a pinch these breadsticks are a good replacement when you are short on time. These are best served with a soup or sauce so you can have something to dip them in. Thanks to Dee Searle for this great recipe.

Easy Skillet Bread (for soup)

Skillet Bread
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2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2-4 TBSP butter

Preheat oven to 400 F with skillet in oven. Mix together dry ingredients, then add milk until it looks like thick pancake mix (about 1 1/2 cups). Add butter to hot skillet and return to oven until butter bubbles. Pour dough into skillet and bake 15-20 minutes or until top is brown. Serve with soup by breaking off individual pieces.

Variations: Add cheese, bacon, taco seasoning, cornmeal or onions to dough.


*****
This is the BEST bread to serve with soup. It's so fast and tastes heavenly. The best part of this bread is the bubbly butter in the skillet that creates a crunchy crust on the bottom of the bread.

This bread is best eaten the day it is made, so if you don't think you'll eat a full batch, feel free to cut the batch in half (images are of a half batch). Thanks to Kim Kindlespire for this amazing recipe.