I am sure that the reason that only a couple of you have entered is because you have been so swamped with important summertime activities like swimming, vacationing, organizing your house, and reading a book while your kids rot in front of the TV for a few hours. It couldn't possibly be that my readers haven't had any ah-ha moments in motherhood, nor that they aren't clamoring for a copy of my cookbook! I'm sure that it has to be something else. In fact, I am going to sweeten the deal a little (assuming that anyone is interested in this giveaway.) I will send a CD copy of this cookbook to everyone who submits an entry! That means that if you win you get all the glory and accolades, but even if you don't, you'll get a prize for participation. Because let's face it--what I really want is for people to share things that they've learned about motherhood. That way we can learn from each other. (If you don't have a blog, or if your blog is dedicated to something specific like cooking, all things organic, or underwater basket weaving, feel free to submit your essay to me via email--sleepymumATgmailDOTcom-- and I will post it on my own blog for the readers to enjoy.)
Okay, hopefully that is enough of a pep talk. Maybe I just need to accept defeat and move on--but I'm too stubborn to do so at this point.
I thought I'd take a minute to share a recipe with you. One of my favorite things since childhood has been homemade wheat bread. My mom made it for us while we were growing up. I have made it sporadically throughout my mothering years, and have made it twice a week for the past six months (I haven't had to buy any sandwich bread, which has been so great.) I have been playing with the recipe a bit lately to fill it up with healthy things, since my kids will eat bread like there's no tomorrow. So, here's the recipe and I'll include a few options at the bottom.
Rhonda's Whole Wheat Bread
Turn out into bowl sprayed with cooking spray and allow to rise in a warm place for 25 minutes. Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and separate into four loaves. Shape loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise for 25 minutes more.
Bake in 350 oven for 25-30 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from oven and from pans immediately. Rub or brush tops of the loaves with butter. Allow to cool on wire cooling rack.
Variations: Substitute 1/4 cup of the oil with an equal amount of applesauce. Substitute 1/2 cup flour with equal amount ground flax seed (my current favorite), toasted wheat germ, or leftover oatmeal. Add 1/2 cup sunflower seeds with final 4 cups of flour (my kids don't love this version).
This bread is perfect for toast, sandwiches, or just with some butter on it. I generally freeze the loaves that I won't use immediately and then defrost them at room temp one at a time as needed. Since it is summer, I generally start this as soon as I wake up in the morning or after I've put the kids to bed, since I don't like to have the oven on in the middle of the day. It takes about 2 hours from start to finish.
Now, go write your entry for the contest!:)
- 3 cups warm water
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- scant Tablespoon kosher salt
- 6 cups whole wheat flour (I like white wheat flour best, from whole white wheat)
- 3/4 cup very warm water
- 3 Tablespoons yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups white, all-purpose flour
Turn out into bowl sprayed with cooking spray and allow to rise in a warm place for 25 minutes. Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and separate into four loaves. Shape loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise for 25 minutes more.
Bake in 350 oven for 25-30 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from oven and from pans immediately. Rub or brush tops of the loaves with butter. Allow to cool on wire cooling rack.
Variations: Substitute 1/4 cup of the oil with an equal amount of applesauce. Substitute 1/2 cup flour with equal amount ground flax seed (my current favorite), toasted wheat germ, or leftover oatmeal. Add 1/2 cup sunflower seeds with final 4 cups of flour (my kids don't love this version).
This bread is perfect for toast, sandwiches, or just with some butter on it. I generally freeze the loaves that I won't use immediately and then defrost them at room temp one at a time as needed. Since it is summer, I generally start this as soon as I wake up in the morning or after I've put the kids to bed, since I don't like to have the oven on in the middle of the day. It takes about 2 hours from start to finish.
Now, go write your entry for the contest!:)
15 comments:
I love this recipe. And great idea to add the flax meal in place of the flour. I tried to substitute the oil for flax and it did NOT work. :) Wish we were going to be in Utah at the same time too! We'll coming back through on July 6 and leaving on July 8, so I think we'll see some of the family. Another time...
Mmmmmm! I want some homemade wheat bread now. It has been a while since I have made some. Maybe I will do that tomorrow, and use one of your variations. Yummy!
OK-I'm in! I need my particpation prize. I'm intrigued by the small amount of ginger in the recipe. Is it perceptible or very subtle? I'll just have to try it myself. I better head back to print it off.
prudy,
the ginger is subtle, but i can tell the difference if i leave it out.
can't wait to see you!
OOh we make wheat bread twice a week from scratch, so I will have to give this a try! Looks Yummy! I too, have been swamped with summer fun, that I haven't been on the computer much! It has been good for me :)
Oh thank you! I've been want to do this and then this weekend I got sick. Really sick. Then the kids followed suit. So...Thanks!
AND thanks for the recipe. :-)
You're the best!
I'm glad you reminded me. I have been busy... I promise! =)
When I did my chocolate giveaway I was disturbed that so few people entered. It was free chocolate! But I will try to get my entry done.
macy,
i'm so sad that we are very booked on the days that you'll be in town--and very booked in salt lake. bummer.
ice cream,
i think that having a baby last week is a good reason to be a bit behind on things! i think that the chocolate give-away was when i started reading your blog, actually. come to think of it, i don't think that i entered the contest, though.
Thank you for all of your comments on my blog. I just read about your writing contest, and I think that it is a wonderful idea. I'm very excited to see what people submit. Great thinking!
Jana
www.themeanestmom.blogspot.com
Contest? Wow, I've been missing a lot! Missed you a bunch! I'll have to further look at this writing contest thingy you have going on.
Way cool.
Could the contest entry be an older post, so long as I refer to the contest in a new post? That's how Scribbit handles it...
Nice to meet you!
It looks fabulous! However- I have found that I cannot make homemade bread. Not becasue I am a bad baker- on the contrary, I have won blue ribbons in 4H for my bread. However- I cannot help but eat it. And not just one piece. And not without butter, and not without jam. And so- my family suffers as I watch my carb intake. I even started buying Eggo waffles, as I cannot help but to eat my ever so fabulous, beaten egg whites homemade ones. This has made the kids very happy, as it seams they prefer the "cicle waffles".
I somehow stummbled onto your blog and I loved the idea of the contest, but with a vacation and 5 kids I just didn't get around to writing. Thanks for extending and I plan on writing a post about relishing my motherhood. Also, thanks for the recipe. I think we'll try it this week.
Hope you're having a wonderful summer break, Michal.
And just some quiet advice - NEVER, ever, ever accept defeat. Not some as brilliant as you.
Change your strategy, but never fly a white flag.
Thanks for extending the deadline - I plan on posting my entry this week, really I do!
And the recipe...oh my...whole wheat bread is literally my favourite food in all the world. Quite different from the recipe I'm using right now so I'm going to give it a try!
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