Good bread is amazing! I have a theory that if someone invented a perfume that smelled like freshly baked bread, men would flock towards the women who were wearing it. There is just something about that smell that’s so incredible. I love all bread but I especially like breads that have some chew to them. This recipe if for a fluffier sandwich type bread that makes not only great sandwiches but great toast. It has some wheat bran and some grains in it though, which gives it a nice chew factor.

Don’t be intimidated by making bread at home, while I wouldn’t call it a beginner recipe, it’s certainly not an advanced one either. The best way to approach cooking is with confidence, be the boss of the food and don’t let it intimidate you. At the end of the day, if it doesn’t work… that’s ok. Do your hair and makeup and tell yourself “I’m pretty, I don’t need to know how to cook”.

Make Ahead: You will need to cook some Red River Cereal ahead of making this recipe. I used leftover cooked cereal but you will need 1.5 cups so cook 1 cup of dry to be sure you have enough for the recipe.

 

Honey & Grains Bread

1 1/2 Cups Hot Water

1 Cup Cold Milk

4 Tsp. Dry Active Yeast

1/4 Cup Honey

3 Large Eggs

6 Tbsp Vegetable Shortening

7-8* Cups All Purpose Flour

75g Wheat Bran

55g Flax Seed

1 1/2 Cups Red River Cereal, cooked and cooled

3 Tsp Kosher or Sea salt

Put the yeast, honey and water and milk together in a bowl until it starts to bubble (5 mins). Add the eggs, shortening to the yeast mixture. In the bowl of a stand mixer add 7 cups flour, salt, wheat bran, flax and Red River cereal. Add yeast mixture to the flour and mix  with the hook attachment a until it forms a dough that comes away from the sides of the bowl. *Add remaining one cup of flour in increments as needed until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough with the hook on low speed or by hand for 5-10 minutes, the dough should be very pliable but not sticky. Rise for 1.5 hours on an oiled bowl, then turn out and shape into buns or loaves and rise covered with tea towels for another 1.5 to 2 hours.

 

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until golden, approx 25 to 30 minutes for a large loaf or 20 minutes for buns. Turn out onto a rack, brush the tops with butter and allow  cool (or just have a piece right away, yum!) Enjoy!