You might want to read this thread....

Here is a link that might be useful: Bread recipes and advice

caliloo - Thanks for the link. I should have been clearer and said I'm looking for a recipe for regular bread - white, whole wheat, or even cinnamon-raisin. I've already read the link but it's mostly Italian breads. Tricia's FAQ is informative, but the technique isn't the problem, it's finding a trustworthy recipe. I'll keep searching on the internet if I come up empty here, although I'd much rather get a recipe from someone here on GW that can attest to the recipe. Thanks again.

This recipe always turns out well for me and is very easy.
It makes fantastic toast!

English Muffin Bread - AllRecipes.com

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
Servings: 20
"This recipe will make 2 loaves of chewy English muffin bread. It's leavened with yeast and baking soda."

2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cornmeal
6 cups bread flour
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1. Warm the milk and water in a small saucepan until very warm (125 degrees F/50 degrees C). Lightly grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans; sprinkle cornmeal inside pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda. Stir milk into the flour mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, until a stiff batter is formed. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place for until nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool.

Here is another works-every-time recipe. Sometimes I sub honey for the sugar.

Note: I decrease the sugar and the oil to 2/3 cup each with no appreciable difference.

Amish Wheat Bread

3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1 Tbsp. salt
3 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. (2 pkg.) yeast
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 c. whole wheat flour
6 c. white flour

Mix sugar, flour and salt. Add water. Stir well and add yeast. Let set until it rises a bit, then add vegetable oil. Mix well, then add flour. Mix well. Let rise until double. Form into 3 loaves and let rise. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

teresa - Do you have a favorite brand of flour that you use?

country smile, when I'm baking white bread or honey wheat, I like to use King Arthur All Purpose, I never buy bread flour. It's about as high in protein as the national brand bread flours are, plus it's an American company and I like that too.

Here is my "go to" white bread recipe, I've been making it since I was 7 and Grandma taught me. You can tell it's a farmhouse white kind of bread because of the eggs and milk, both of which we had regularly:

BREAD (GRANDMAS RECIPE)

1/3 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1 pkg yeast
1 tsp salt
4 4 ½ cups flour
vital wheat gluten (optional)

Mix milk, butter and sugar, heat until butter melts and liquid is very warm. Add eggs, then beat in flour, salt and yeast until stiff dough forms. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 7 8 minutes. Turn dough into greased bowl and let rise in warm place until double. Punch down dough, shape into loaves or dinner rolls and let rise again. Bake at 350 until done (25 - 30 minutes for loaves, 12-15 minutes for dinner rolls)

Makes 1 large or two small loaves or 18 dinner rolls

My family also likes this recipe, it's the added sweetness of honey, and it's Sol's recipe and the notes are hers:

Honey Rolls
1 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup butter [1 stick]
2 teaspoos salt
1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar*
2 pkges. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water [110º-115ºF]
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 - 6½ cups AP flour

Heat the milk, add butter and salt. Set aside while butter melts. Stir in the honey.

In another bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let it sit until yeast is completely dissolved, about 6-7 minutes.

Combine milk mixture with yeast mixture. And stir in the beaten eggs. Beat in 4 cups flour. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft, but not sticky dough.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat both sides. Cover and allow dough to rise 1 hour. Punch dough down, and allow to rise another hour.

Punch down again, and shape dough into rolls. Let it rise again 45 minutes to an hour or until doubled in volume. Preheat your oven to 375ºF and bake rolls for 25 minutes or until a deep golden brown. For a very soft crust, brush rolls with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.

Note: You could omit the sugar from this recipe altogether. I sometimes use about a teaspoon of the honey called for in the recipe to feed the yeast instead of the sugar.

Finally, my favorite whole wheat recipe is this honey wheat. I thought it was Terri's, but I guess it isn't, so I don't know where I got it. I never do the "roll out and roll up" step, I just cut the dough in half and shape loaves, it works fine.

HONEY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

· 3-1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour
· 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
· 2 pkg. active dry yeast
· 2 tsp. salt
· 1 cup milk
· 1 cup water
· 1/2 cup honey
· 3 Tbsp. oil
· 1 egg

In large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, the yeast, and salt and mix well.

In saucepan, heat milk, water, honey, and oil until a thermometer reads 120-130 degrees F (warm)

Add liquid mixture and egg to flour mixture and stir to combine. Beat this batter for 3 minutes. Then, gradually stir in rest of whole wheat flour and enough remaining all-purpose four to form a firm dough.

Sprinkle work surface with flour and knead dough, adding more flour if necessary, for 5-8 minutes until smooth and satiny. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning the dough in the bowl to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, until double in bulk.
Punch down dough and divide into 2 pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll or press each piece of dough to a 14x7" rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll with each turn. Pinch edges and ends to seal and place dough, seam-side down, into greased 9x5" bread pans, making sure short ends of bread are snugly fitted against the sides of the pans. Cover and let rise in warm place until the dough fills the corners of the pans and is double in bulk, 30-40 minutes.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. I like to brush the bread with butter when it's still hot from the oven for a softer crust.

Have fun baking, it's a perfect cold snowy day here. Maybe I'll make some bread too.

Annie

Smile, I usually have Pillsbury Unbleached All-Purpose flour on hand and when I can get to Lindley Mills, a local mill, I buy a 25 lb. bag of their organic unbleached all-purpose flour.

For whole wheat flour, I get the King Arthur whole wheat at the grocery or a local stoneground wheat flour from Old Guilford Mill, or the organic whole wheat from Lindley Mills. I have to budget time to drive to Old Guilford and Lindley Mills, so it just depends. Sometimes I will ask a friend to pick-up flour at Lindley Mills as her daughter's school is near there.

I seldom stock bread flour as I find I have good success with the all purpose flour. I no longer use Red Band flour for yeast bread as it is a softer spring wheat flour and the hard winter wheat is what is needed for yeast breads.

This has become my favorite bread recipe, I've made it with only all purpose flour and with some whole wheat flour. It's very versatile and forgiving. It's easy to cut in half. I imagine it would be very easy to add raisins and cinnamon. It's similar to Annie's Honey Whole Wheat Bread.

Bread

5 ½ to 6 cups of all purpose flour
or
(3 ½ to 4 cups all purpose flour and 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour)
2 pkg. active dry yeast (I use ~1 T)
2 T vital wheat gluten (optional)
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup water
½ cup honey
¼ cup butter
1 egg lightly beaten

In large bowl, combine 3 cups all purpose flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour), yeast, vital wheat gluten and salt and mix well.
In saucepan (or microwave 2 minutes) heat milk, orange juice, water, honey, and butter until warm.
Add warmed liquid and egg to flour mixture and stir.
Beat this batter for 3 minutes. If using a mixer, use the flat paddle.
Then switch to the dough hook and gradually stir in rest of flour for a firm dough. (or remaining 1 ½ cup of whole wheat flour and 1 ½ - 2 cups of AP flour.)
Knead dough, adding more flour if necessary, for 5-8 minutes until smooth.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, until doubled.
Punch down dough and divide in half.
Shape and place dough, into greased 9x5" bread pans.
Cover and let rise in warm place until the dough fills the corners of the pans and is double in bulk, 30-40 minutes.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35 - 40 minutes, until bread is golden brown. If it starts to get too dark, tent with foil.
Brush the bread with butter when it's still hot from the oven for a softer crust.

Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Lay bread on its side and cover with a dishtowel.

I made Momj's recipe last weekend. We didn't have any oj, so I used buttermilk powder and water instead of the milk and oj, and about 2/3 w/w flour (Prairie Gold) and 1/3 unbleached flour. Also cut the recipe in half so I could knead it in the bread machine, but I used the whole egg. Ohmy it was good, and it sliced beautifully.

Thanks to everyone who posted a recipe.

Teresa - Your English Muffin Bread is now in my oven with 8 minutes remaining until it is finished. It smells absolutely amazing.

Annie - Your Grandma's recipe is sitting near the fireplace insert and it is about doubled so I can soon punch it down for the first time and bake it later.

I'll have to try some of the wheat bread recipes next weekend. Thanks again to everyone for sharing your recipes.

CS, you are so welcome. Because of this thread, I have butternut squash/cinnamon bread cooling on the counter.

I hope your house smells as good as mine does.

Annie

Another Saturday and another chance to try making bread again....

teresa - I made your Amish Wheat Bread and it is fabulous! At first I thought I must have done something wrong because the only way I was able to work in the 2c. wheat flour and 6 c.white flour was by hand - similar to kneading. But the 3 loaves rose well, baked beautifully, and taste delish.

annie - I made your Grandma's bread recipe again and it turned out even better this time. No problem with it rising and just as tasty as before.

I bought honey today so next up is either momj47's or annie's honey wheat bread.

My family thanks everyone for the yummy bread recipes!

If anyone has an OATMEAL BREAD recipe, I'd be interested in trying that also.

Country smile:
I have a Basic Recipe that I use for Braided Bread.

Can also be used for Cinnamon Bread with raisens, Bagles,
and Cinnamon Buns ( Sticky bunns ).

If you like, I'll Post the recipe.
Lou

I don't think I've shared this recipe before. It comes from my SIL Kay, who died quite young, and before that from her mother and grandmother. It is a lovely loaf, quite forgiving. We generally use leftover breakfast oatmeal rather than soaking flakes.

This is an old pioneer recipe with all the quirks you would expect, but a wonderful loaf.

The original recipe:

Kay's Bread

Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 cups water -- heated
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup oil
4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons yeast
3/4 cup powdered milk
6 cups flour, whole-grain wheat
6 cups flour, white
2 cups oatmeal

Mix hot water with 2 cups oats and cook 'till soft ( with quick oats just let it set a while until water is absorbed). Add honey, salt, oil (or butter or other fat).

Place in bowl and add 4 cups buttermilk (or potato water, plain water, milk, whatever).

Get above mixture to needed temperature (baby bottle warm). Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons yeast on top and allow mixture to set 5-10 minutes.

Add powdered milk and flour. Can knead in an additional 4 cups (2 cups white, 2 whole wheat) as needed. (I've never used more than 1/2-1 additional cup.) Knead until dough is still a little spongy and floury.

Oil bowl but leave dough floury and set in.

Let rise until double (about 2 hours). Punch dough down, slice in 4 sections and knead each section. Add a little flour if needed. Don't oil tops of loaves after placing them in pans. Let rise again. Bake 350 20 minutes. Reduce to 325 and bake an additional 35 minutes.

Makes 4 large loaves. Can also be made into 5 smaller loaves.

My note is to consider using non-starchy liquid (i.e. not potato water) for the first 3 cups. This loaf has tremendous oven spring. I have cut back on the yeast, but that depends on your kitchen.

Carol

Reading lady - Thanks for the recipe - I'll give it a try within 2 weeks!

Hawk - Yes, I most definitely want your recipe. I can't remember making a recipe that I needed to braid the bread, but I'd love to give it a try, as well as the cinnamon raisin variation.

Teresa's Struan recipe is a favorite in our house. Oatmeal bread you say? On my! Annie's Maple oatmeal bread is to die for. makes the best peanut butter sandwiches in the world!

Struan

Soaker
3 Tbs. polenta (corn meal)
3 Tbs. rolled oats
2 Tbs wheat bran
1/4 cup water

Dough

3 cups unbleached bread flour
3 Tbs brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs. instant yeast
4 Tbs cooked brown rice
1-1/2 Tbs honey
1/2 cup buttermilk (I make my own by putting 1 Tbs vinegar in milk)
3/4 cup water

Topping
1 Tbs poppy seeds

Mix together the ingredients for the soaker. Cover and allow to soak for at least half an hour or as long as overnight.
In a larger bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then stir in wet ingredients and soaker. Add more flour or water until the dough can be formed into a ball that is tacky but not sticky. Place the ball of dough on a clean work surface and knead it for 10-12 minutes, then return it to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to ferment until doubled in size, appr. 90 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, de-gas it gently, and split it for two loaves or shape it as is for one large. Place the loaves in greased bread pan(s), spritz or sprinkle water on top, and sprinkle a handful of poppy seeds on top.
Cover the pans loosely with plastic and allow the loaves to rise until doubled in size again, appr. 90 minutes.
Bake the leaves at 350 for 40-55 minutes, until the internal temp is around 190 degrees. When ready the loaves wil be quite brown on top and will make a hollow thud when tapped on the bottom.
(Note, this takes 45 minutes in my oven, and I tent the top with foil at about 35 minutes or it gets darker than we like)

Maple Oatmeal Bread

3-3-1/4 cups flour
1 pkg dry yeast
3/4 cup prepared coffee
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 (scant) cup real syrup
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Combine a cup of flour and the yeast. Heat coffee, oats, syrup, butter, and salt until just warm and butter is almost melted. Add to flour mixture along with egg. Beat with mixer on low for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir as uch of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead in enough remainng flour to make a moderately soft doug that is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes kneading) Shape dough into a ball, place in lightly greased bowl, and turn over once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about an hour.
Punch down dough, cover and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a loaf pan. Shape dough and place nto prepared pan, cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30-45 minutes). Bake at 350 about 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan immediately and cool on a wire rack.
Note* This bread takes closer to 45 minutes to bake in my oven. Tent if gets too dark)

Note* I just throw all the wet stuff into a breadmaker, then then dry stuff on top and make dough that way. Then I remove the loaf, shape and rise again, then bake.

country-smile, I'm glad it turned out this time, I have no idea why it didn't rise well the first time!

Thanks, Sherry, for posting the maple oatmeal recipe, it's one of my favorites, I think it's the coffee in it! I haven't made Teresa's Struan Bread in a while either, I need to make some of that soon.

Annie

Country Smile:
Here is the recipe:
It is a simple basic Recipe

Lous - - - Braided Bread or Dough for Cinnamon Buns , Bagels, Etc.
2 cups of milk, (warm ) - - Sometimes I sub Powdered Milk
1 1/3 cup of Sugar
3 large eggs- beaten (save ½ egg w. a little milk for basting )
1 tablesp.+ of Vanilla - -
1/2 cup + of oil - -
1/2 teasp. Salt
2 packs of Fleischmans Active dry yeast
AP Flour - 3 cups to start ( probably about 6 total )
enough to knead into a soft ball that doesnt stick to your hands.
I now substitute a cup of WW Flour.
Stir the yeast in a 1/3 cup of warm water w. ½ spoon of sugar, to test it for raising.

In a large mixing bowl, or (KA mixer) place the warm milk ( not hot )
add the sugar ,vanilla , salt & eggs
Beat until the sugar is dissolved and add the Yeast and mix well.
Add 1 cup of WW flour and 3 cups of AP flour and mix with mixer a few minutes.
Add flour until you make a " soft " Ball of dough that doesnt stick to your hands.
Dont make it too stiff , try to keep it a "soft dough."
On the Work Top, Sprinkle some flour under the ball and Knead it until smooth.
Place it in a large bowl, Rub some oil on top.

Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm spot ( until double.) I usually turn my oven on for a few minutes to warm and shut it.
Place a pan of hot water on the bottom shelf.

Then place the dough bowl in the oven to rise.
When ( doubled ) deflate and put it out of the bowl onto a floured worktop.
Punch it down and knead the dough again. Then cut into 2 pieces ( 2 loaves ).
Divide each piece into 3. Roll each of these 3 pieces into the shape
of a sweet potato ( about 12 in long ).
With the basting ( egg ) mixture and wet the tips of the 3 pieces
and stick them together at one end .
Then spread the other end the shape of an arrow While keeping the stuck ends down and away from you ,
twist each piece clockwise about 8 times and
lay them down so you can Platt or Braid them and
stick the other ends together
There are other ways to Braid ( 6 Strands ) but I take the fast easy way to do things.
Place the 2 shaped loaves on lightly oiled cookie tins, or in loaf pans.
Preheat the oven to 400 deg.
Spray some Pam on the loaves or brush with oil. This will keep them from drying while raising.
When doubled in size (about 20 min.) place in the oven , top shelf and bake until slightly tan.
Baste them with the egg mix and rotate them back into the oven and
( Turn temperature down to 325 deg.)
Baste again when they are a dark tan. Cook till a rich brown, mahogany color.
Take them out of the pans onto a rack to cool. Control yourself !!!! Let them cool !!!

This sounds like a lot to do but it is easy and should take only 10 minutes to mix and shape.
The most time is in the waiting for the dough to rise and for the bread to cool .
But it do look great !!! & Professional
This dough can also be used for Cinnamon Buns .
I use it for Bagels too. I like the Subtle, sweet taste.
Lou