gldno1- Here's the 100% Whole Wheat Bread Recipe. It's designed to be made in a bread machine, but it can be made by hand. I have to give my friend, Mildred from Missouri, the credit for this great recipe. 100% Whole Wheat Bread Bread Machine (changes for by-hand at the bottom of the recipe) Sponge: 3/4 c. lukewarm buttermilk (I use homemade kefir.) 3/4 c. lukewarm water 2-1/2 c. freshly-milled white whole wheat flour (Prairie Gold from Wheat Montana is my favorite wheat variety) 1/4 t. ascorbic acid* 2 t. SAF-Instant Yeast Mix these ingredients in the bread machine pan and set the machine to QUICK DOUGH. As soon as the mixture is well mixed, stop and unplug the machine and allow to sit (with the lid closed) at least 2-1/2 hours, or up to 12 hours (or something in between). I'd suggest at least 12 hours if you are using a whole wheat flour milled from red wheat varieties, for a more mild flavor. After the sponge has set, mix these ingredients into the sponge: 2 T. melted coconut oil (or butter or veg. oil) 2 T. agave nectar (or honey) 1 egg (I also add 1/3-1/2 c. chia seed gel. **) Add to the top of the sponge mixture in the pan: 2-1/4 c. freshly-milled whole wheat flour 2 t. salt (on top the flour) Set the bread machine on regular DOUGH cycle and process. Check the dough to make sure it's formed into a nice soft ball and adjust the hydration as needed. My changes: I process the dough in the bread machine until the dough is mixed and kneaded. I don't let it rise in the machine. I place the dough in a dough rising bucket, place the lid on the top and allow the dough to ALMOST rise to double. Whole wheat dough does NOT have the extensibility that white bread dough does, so try not to let it go more than double. Using a dough rising bucket helps you to accurately judge when dough has doubled. Place the dough into a dough rising bucket. It should come up to the 1-quart line. It's doubled when it reaches the 2-quart line. You can get plastic food storage containers (with a tight-fitting lid and graduated measures on the side) at restaurant supply stores (or through King Arthur Flour - aka dough doubler). For this recipe a 2-quart container works perfectly.) After the bread machine finishes the dough cycle (or has doubled in the dough rising bucket), dump the dough onto a Silpat and with oiled/greased hands deflate the dough by pushing it in the middle with your fist then drawing all edges of the outside dough into the middle (turning the dough inside-out, so to speak). Divide the dough into portions (I scale the dough for accuracy.) Round each portion (make it into a smooth ball) so that all the gluten strands are going into the same direction. Cover and allow to rest 10-15 minutes so the gluten relaxes. Form dough (oil your hands when you handle the dough), pan, cover with plastic wrap for the final proofing - etc.... I make this bread into 3 small loaves (7-1/2x3-1/2-inch pans - 350°F for 20-25 minutes), OR one 1# Pullman Loaf and use the other 1# of dough for 6 pecan rolls OR an 8-inch pan of dinner rolls - sometimes I use a portion of the recipe for hamburger or hot dog buns. If making two regular loaves, bake in a 375°F oven for 25-minutes. A very versitile dough. ------------------------------------------------------ * ascorbic acid powder is available at most health food stores. It's a very important ingredient when you make yeast bread that includes wheat germ (which is in whole wheat flour). There is a substance in wheat germ called Glutathione. This substance breaks down the gluten and can result in a short loaf. The bran in whole wheat bread can cut the gluten strands, which results in a short squatty loaf. The sponge helps to soften the bran. The addition of 1/8 t. ascorbic acid per loaf of bread will counteract the negative effects of Glutathione. It will help prevent the gluten bonds from breaking down and will also help repair gluten bonds that have been broken. The ascorbic acid also helps sustain the leavening of bread loaves during baking. Yeast grows longer and faster when there is also ascorbic acid. Do not add it to sourdough recipes because they are naturally an acidic atmosphere. ** Chia seed gel is a mixture of chia seeds and water (1 part chia seeds to 9 parts water). This mixture thickens as the seeds absorb the water and adds hydration to the crumb of the loaf. It looks like poppy seeds in the bread after it's baked. Excellent nutritional boost and additional fiber. --------------------------------------------------------- BY HAND, place sponge ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl and mix the sponge ingredients together with a Danish dough whisk or a wooden spoon and beat the ingredients about 100 strokes. Cover, and allow to sit at room temperature at least 2-1/2 hours, but up to 12 hours. After the sponge is done: add the flour gradually to the sponge mixture using a Danish dough whisk (or wooden spoon) and carefully beat in each addition of flour before adding more. You may end up beating the dough 500-800 strokes, but do as much mixing as you have the strength to do. If you need to stop and rest, that's fine. The rest will allow the dough to hydrate. Towards the end of mixing, add the salt (DON'T FORGET!!!). The gluten will tighten up and make mixing harder after adding salt. The better job you do of mixing the dough and developing the gluten while it's in the bowl, the less time you'll need to knead it. When you knead the dough, avoid adding a lot of bench flour. If you have a problem adding too much flour during kneading, grease/oil your hands during kneading instead - especially during the last 2-3 minutes of kneading. -Grainlady

Oh Renee, I couldn't agree more. I'm tired of being bullied because my view is stated in a different way than another poster's. There is a very small minority who think their recipes or techniques are the be-all/ end-all, "ubiquitous, know-it-all approach with narrow-minded views" of the culinary world. That is when unpleasantness rears its ugly head. When that happens, it is unfair to the whole forum. I for one would have left this thread a few posts ago, especially when I realized that one particular member refused to see the passive/ aggressive nature of their posts, then devolving into personal attacks to other posters. It's difficult to not defend one's integrity when it's called into question. Imagine how you would feel if someone referred to you as condescending, superior, a liar, a know-it-all. I believe that everyone but one person in this thread has agreed to disagree. I, for one, appreciate the beautiful photos many of our talented contributors generously post. It certainly takes additional time on their behalf to photograph the food, choose the appropriate photo for their post, then to share it with everyone. I learn how to plate food to make it look more appealing. I don't find it competitive, I find it encouraging. I think it has given a lot of us in this digital age the impetus to become more artistic, not only in our food preparation, but also in the art of presentation. How is that ever a bad thing? I think the main spirit of this forum is quite pleasant - these kinds of threads are very few and far between. I think that there will be a few of us that will be checking back to make sure no one else is being treated unfairly. Lori

Foodon: Here is the Recipe I was going to put in the Calzone Thread The Pizza Dough Recipe is in here. Maybe they will pick up on it. Photo's didn't come in. - - - - - - - - - - - - Cooking in Cleveland "A thriving household depends on the use of seasonal produce and the application of common sense." ~ Olivier de Serres Stromboli After making the Calzone, wanted to try my hand at Stromboli. I made Lou's pizza dough, divided it in three pieces. Just rolled them out thin, about 8X14 inches and spread fillings over top. Roll them up and cut slits in the top and brushed with an egg wash. Fillings of broccoli and mozzarella, pepperoni and mozzarella and roasted red peppers, onions and mozzarella. The food critic and DS were very happy with the results. Place on a lightly-oiled baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven 20-25 minutes. Posted by OhioMom 2 comments Labels: Bread Calzone ...."I get by with a little help from my friends" I made a batch of Lou's pizza dough yesterday, wanted to make Calzone. I have never made them so I contacted my friend Lucy for help. Thanks Lucy for all your hints and tips ! A Calzone is an Italian turnover, made with pizza dough and filled with cheese, vegetables or meat.  Lou's Pizza Dough 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp. salt 1 pkg. Active Dry Yeast 1/2 cup warm water 1 Tbsp. sugar 1/4 cup oil 1 cup warm water Mix yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and sugar, let proof. Add oil and 1 cup of water to yeast mixture, stir. Combine flours and salt, add to yeast mixture. Knead on dough hook for 5 minutes, or by hand for 10. Add enough AP flour to the Dough to make a Soft ball of Dough Cover and set in warm place till dough doubles in bulk. Punch down, divide into quarters for Calzone. Filling: Large bunch of broccoli, chopped up 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 1/4 cup Feta cheese Cook broccoli in boiling water for about five minutes. Combine cheeses in a bowl. Take one quarter piece of dough and pat out into a circle, mound filling in center.  Fold dough over and seal edges well. I used an egg wash on top of mine. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet, or a baking stone if you have one. Calzone fresh from the oven, oozing with melted cheese.  Posted by OhioMom Welcome to homecooking with seasonal, locally grown produce. My recipes are simple

I made my first loaf last night, and I really like the way it came out. I agree with Cheryl that the menu is a bit confusing, and I think I made the bread on the wrong setting, for size, at least. I forgot about the size setting when I was starting the machine, and I was making a medium (the smallest) loaf, which used a total of 3 cups of flour. I used the plain white bread recipe, substituted one cup of whole wheat flour plus two tablespoons of Vital Wheat Gluten, since I was using all purpose instead of bread flour, and so because of the whole wheat. The water was supposed to be 1-1/4 cups, but I used 1-1/3 cups because I thought the WW might need extra water, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. Well, I'm not sure I used the correct yeast - I have SAF yeast in the freezer, and so I just used that. It did not have a yeast flavor when it came out. It only slightly stuck, and so I used a plastic spatula to get it loose. I let it sit in the machine for about 10-12 minutes after the timer went off - not sure if I was supposed to do that, but the bread had a thick, somehwat hard, crust, which I like and prefer. I'm very happy with the loaf I made, although it does taste rather generic, but still much better than most WW bread I can buy. It's not as good as La Brea Bakery bread, but that is rather expensive, and this bread is an adequate substitute (except for the sourdough). The loaf came out lopsided, and so I will be making lopsided sandwiches, but I'm okay with that. I think it will also make good toast and French toast. Lars