Baking Bread

Sing with me now...

Oh the weather outside is still frightful but the oven heat is sooo delightful.

And scince we need the heat anyway

I'll bake away, bake away, bake away!

Well ok the Northwest is actually warmer than the rest of the conutry this winter, I'll give you that. Perhaps the rest of you would like a hint in the double use of the energy we spend.... Bake!
Stuck in the house with freezing cold temps and snow that hinders travel, it is always a good idea to have a pantry with all the basics so you can use them to make what you might need for the evening meal.
A simple beginning Bread recipe that the whole family will love is Amish White Bread.
If you are blessed enough to have a Ktchen Aid it is a breeze, but if you don't then you can make it like I have for the past 25 years...by hand. I was just blessed enough to receive one for Christmas as a gift from my sister in laws. However it can easliy be made by hand as well.
You can choose from many good whole wheat or other flour recipes, I just have this one in the computer already.

Amish White Bread
2 cups warm water (warm to the wrist but not hot)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour
Directions
Dissolve water in warm water in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in yeast and allow to rise.
Add salt and oil to yeast after the yeast has risen.
(It will look foamy and creamy)

Kneading Direction with Kitchen Aid
Add two cups flour to Kitchen aid bowl
Pour in yeast mixture
Mix gently
Switch to keading attachment
Add rest of flour one cup at a time
Knead for 2 minutes
OR
Kneading Directions by Hand
Add flour one cup at a time mixing after each cup
Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead dough until smooth

Kneading: Put heals of hand into dough firmly pushing, grab dough farthest from you and pull it towards you and fold dough in half, turn dough a quarter turn and begin again. Continue till dough is smooth adding small amounts of flour to surface so dough does not stick. This process will add air to the dough and help it rise, and will take about 5 minutes.

Next
Place oil in bowl and coat
Place dough in oiled bowl and flip to coat both sids of dough
Cover with a damp cloth.
Allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half.
Shape into loaves
Place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in warm place until doubled about 30 mins
Bake 30 mins. at 350 F

Enjoy the warm kitchen and the delicious bread and the fruit of your hands!