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By Cherie Logan
People gasp when I tell them what it takes to feed a family of 11. Ok, so it is only 10 because my oldest is on her own but who would quibble over on little number? Let's just sat 12. It is well rounded and we always feed extra around here anyway. Here is the scoop on groceries:
It takes 3 pounds of ground beef to brown for a casserole. Actually, that is two casseroles both in oblong cake pans.
It takes 5 pounds of chicken pieces for a baked dinner. Ok, so that sounds like a lot but it really is only 1/2 a pound per person. Not too bad considering I'm feeding three adults (four if Chani is eating at home), three teens, one preteen and three little girls.
It takes six boxes of anything that is supposed to become a dish such as Rice-a-Roni or Hamburger Helper. Can you guess why we don't use these miracles of modern invention?
It takes 1/2 of a number 10 can of macaroni. It takes countless packages of spaghetti noodles. (Mainly because I refuse to make anything for just one meal. It has to at least feed a few of us for lunch!)
It takes one roll of paper per bathroom to take care per day to handle the surplus.
And it takes 3 loaves of bread per day. If the bread is store-bought. If homemade it takes somewhere between 2 and 4. Two because the bread is more filling and 4 because it is so good.
We bake almost all our regular bread. We buy tortillas, English muffins and buns. But we slave to make our own mouth-watering soft fresh-from-the-oven bread.
Here is my perfect recipe.
1. Buy a Bosch Universal Breadmaker. It's cheap. Ooops...inexpensive. Only...gasp...somewhere in the neighborhood of $300. You know the type. You see them at fairs all of the time. They make it seem so easy. It is just as easy as it seems. I've tried other brands over the years and there is nothing that compares in my experience. Not for a big family. I think it might be fun to have one of those big automatic do everything even bake machines but when feeding a dozen people every day it just isn't practical.
2. Buy a wheat grinder. Well, you could buy the whole wheat already ground but grinding it fresh really does make a difference. I hope. At least that is justification for spending another $300 for a grinder. There are many different brands. I've tried lots. In the end I think the deciding factor should be QUIET! Good luck.
3. The next step is to buy wheat. Let me see. Somebody figured that the average person for minimum survival would need #300 of grain per year. That is #3600 per family of 12. Stored in #10 cans or in containers that can hold up to 50#...either way that is a lot of cans! Or just buy the whole wheat flour in the store. I'm a purist. I store the wheat. If you do, be sure to spend a few extra pennies and get what is called Winter White Wheat. It makes INCREDIBLE bread!
4. Grind that wheat. Better yet have your sons grind the wheat and save your hearing. Best of all, move out to the country so they can grind the wheat at midnight on the back porch and nobody will care!
5. Ok...ready for the recipe? Nope. First you have to get the bread pans. Pamper Chef or some other company that has stoneware bread pans. Forget those cheap aluminum ones from the store. Go for the best and you'll be such a happy woman.
6. Have you spent enough money yet? Forget it. You'll have a lifetime of excellent food and a recipe that your teens can never fail at.
7. Turn on your cold oven to 175-180.
8. Get 6 cups of very hot water from the tap and pour into your Bosch.
9. Take 8 cups of your fresh ground whole wheat and dump it into the Bosch. Turn on for a minute to blend.
10. Take 2 tablespoons of salt, 1 cup of honey, 1 cup of oil and add to the mixer. Blend another minute.
11. Add 2 tablespoons of SAF-Yeast. Yes...SAF. Is that saf as in laugh? Or is that a bad phonics pronunciation of Safe? Who cares. You don't have to proof this yeast. Once you have opened the package place the remainder into a tupperware container and then into the freezer. It will keep the yeast fresher. You can add the yeast to the mixture without defrosting the yeast so don't worry about an extra step. You do not want to add the yeast until the oil and salt are mixed in or it can effect the yeast.
12. Add some more flour, about 6-9 cups. You can add more whole wheat or you can use Better Bread flour from the grocery store. If you are using White Wheat then your 100% whole wheat bread will be just as wonderful as it would if you used a mix of wheat and white flour.
13. Now the hard work. Turn on the Bosch and blend for 10 minutes. While blending, wipe the counter, pull out 4-5 stoneware bread pans and spray them with oil. Tough, huh?
14. When the timer rings check the dough. With experience you will know what to look for. You don't want the dough too dry or too liquid. Add water or flour to correct any problem but you will want to correct it only if you must, try to get to the point of being right all of the time. Isn't that a wonderful attitude to take?
15. Dump the dough onto an oiled counter. Kind of fluff it up onto a lump. Divide the lump in half and then each of those halves again. That will give you...hmmm...four loaves. Take one lump and kind of rectangle it out a little and roll it a little and fold the ends under a little and plop it into the bread pan. Repeat.
16. Place the pans into the oven and set the timer for 30-40 minutes.
17. When the timer rings turn the oven temp up to 325-350 for another 30 minutes.
18. When the timer rings again take the pans out of the oven. Loosen around the edges of the pan until the bread falls out when the pan is turned upside down. Butter the tops of the bread.
19. Let the bread cool a little before cutting. A little more. A little more. Ok, now, slice and taste! Be careful to save at least one loaf for later.
20. Just before the bread cools place each loaf into a plastic sack and tie it closed. If you do it too soon the bread will sweat in the bag. If you wait too late it could dry out quickly and be harder than otherwise.
There you have it. Twenty easy steps to perfect bread. Or you could always try the day old bakery!
Want a Quick Version?
The Most Delicious Everyday Homemade Bread
6 cups hot water
6-8 cups whole wheat
flour
blend
1 cup oil
1 cup honey
2 tablespoons salt
blend
2 tablespoons Saf
Yeast
blend
6-10 cups more wheat
or white flour
Mix for 10 minutes
Dump onto oiled counter
and form into loaves and place into 4 pans that have been sprayed with oil.
Place into 175-180
degree oven for 30-40 minutes
Turn up heat to 300-350
for another 30 minutes.
Take out of oven
and out of pan. Butter top. Bag when cool.
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