Monday, March 26, 2012

Jenna's Bread

Jenna Woginrich of Cold Antler Farm
got me started on this whole blogging thing.
She also inspired me to take a look at my life as it was
and start creating more of what I wanted.
Not bad for a 20-something year old whom I've never met.
I can't be grateful enough for the nudge toward homesteading she has given me.
It's been my calling all along,
and I never knew it until I read her book,


 

One of the best things I've done on this journey
is to bake bread from scratch.
Having been a lover of this life sustainer
for as long as I can remember,
it was important for me to be able
to provide my family with bread of a high quality.
It is a gift to myself whenever it comes out of the oven,
filling the kitchen with the most intoxicating aroma.
There's just nothing like homemade bread.

Here's a recipe I got from Jenna.
Enjoy it- and soon!
You'll be glad you did!

Basic Bread
(Jenna Woginrich)

2 C water
2  yeast
1 t honey
4 T butter
2 T vegetable oil
1 t salt
5-6 C bread flour

Warm water to not hotter than 120 degrees in a glass
measuring cup.  Add yeast, honey, and oil.
Let proof 10 minutes (yeast should be bubbly).

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk to sift.
Add wet to dry, including butter.  Mix until incorporated with wooden spoon.
Let rise in oiled bowl (the same one you mixed it in)
until doubled.  Cut dough in half.  Place each half into
loaf pans.  Allow dough to rise until doubled again.
Bake at 425 degrees 35-45 minutes, covering halfway
to avoid burning.  Let cool 20 minutes before slicing,
if you can wait that long.  The smell is insanely good.
Makes 2 loaves or 16 large rolls*.

*If you need buns for sandwiches or burgers,
just take 1/2 the original dough recipe
and tear off about a palmful
and roll it into a ball.  Let rise until doubled
and then bake about 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy!














8 comments:

  1. Oh come on! Has anyone EVER waited till the darn things are completely cool?
    I have yet to eat a loaf of bread that hadn't "collapsed" from being cut too soon.
    :D

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  2. I'm a big fan of Jenna's too. The one thing I wish after becoming "enlightened" is that I didn't do it sooner. Better late than never I guess but I do wish I was younger...I might have that homestead. But like Jenna points out, do what you can with what you've got.

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  3. I haven't read her blog in ages, I really should start again though, I remember loving it when I did :) Have you tried baking with sourdough starter? I've got my eye on some recipes for a good starter and hope to try maybe next fall to get a good one going and do my baking using it instead of yeast... :) Yay for fresh bread!

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  4. Sue-I hear ya!

    tami-Yeah, I feel that way too. But ya know what? I'm doin' it anyway! ;0)

    katy-Her blog is full of great stuff and loads of inspiration!
    Not a big fan of sourdough.
    Little M will be a great bread maker!

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  5. Looks really good! I love homemade bread.....hard to eat store bought after you get used to the real thing. :)

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  6. Staci-Isn't that the truth? ;0)

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