Country White Bread

I have been playing with bread of different types over the past couple of months. Some have been wonderful while others have fallen short. Today I wanted to challenge myself to make a loaf without using someone else's recipe. I know...could go either way, right? Well, this one turned out AMAZINGLY well. I classify myself as a "recently-deflowered-yeast virgin." Yes. Me.

Yet, I attempted a yeast recipe today that came from my own damn head; of course it DID rely on the experiences I've had this summer. I started this bread this morning, and by the early afternoon, the loaf was completely baked and cooling on top of the stove. There were neighbor kids who'd recently descended on my home who were walking past the bread with hope gleaming in their eyes. Only one had the guts to ask for a slice before I'd taken one for anyone in my family. Good for him. I like a kid with courage! He waited until the other kids were elsewhere, stole into my kitchen realm, and politely asked for a slice. I left the end piece on the cutting board because most kids loathe the heel of the bread. Fine. He ate the slice I handed over, took the heel, and then sought me out in my home office to ask for another slice.

This is THE loaf. The crust had a bite to it, and there was a hefty crumb to the dough itself. By the end of the day, the bread was gone. Extinct. Butter got ONE slice. My Pack Mule and I shared one piece. Every other slice fed that herd of boys in my yard and home. Very good times!

Country White Bread

Ingredients
8 oz warm water (90 - 1oo degrees), divided
2 1/2 tsp bread machine/fast-rise yeast
2 Tbs honey
2 3/4 C bread flour + scant amount for kneading
2 Tbs dry milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs oil

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine the yeast, honey, and 1/2 C warm water. Allow to sit for 8-10 so the yeast can proof. After that time span, the bowl should look puffy and bubbly. If not, try this again. You must see growth in size and bubbles.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, remaining water, dry milk, salt, and oil. The mixture will be crumbly and very dry.
3. Add the proofed yeast mixture to the large bowl and combine.
4. Transfer dough to a floured board and knead for 10-15 minutes adding minimal amounts of additional flour to avoid sticking.
5. After kneading, form the dough into a ball, coat it in oil, and put it in a bowl. Let the dough rest for approximately an hour in a draft-free area.
6. After the dough's risen, punch it down and knead again for 5 minutes.
7. Shape the dough into a loaf of sorts and add to a loaf pan. Put the pan in a draft-free location and allow to rise a second time for 30 minutes
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the loaf for 35-45 minutes - until golden brown
9. Allow to rest and cool before cutting. Hot bread from the oven will shred and bunch up easily if cut before being allowed to cool.

Notes:
Yeast: If your yeast doesn't proof, try it again. Your water could have been too hot or too cold. Additionally, your yeast could be bad.
Flour: I chose to use bread flour for this one because I love the consistency of it.
Oil: I used canola. I also poured a scant amount into the bowl and then rolled the dough into before allowing time for the first rise. Nothing is worse than dough that sticks to the bowl when it's rising. Hence, oiling the BOWL.

After the second rise. (See that glimpse of maters behind the bread? They came from MY mater plant. *preening*)

After baking in the oven.

Feedback:
Like I said, the neighbor kids scarfed this bread in record time. The Pack Mule LOVES bread. He would live on bread alone if given the opportunity. And this bread? He was digging it. Butter? The kid. Not the delicious fatty stuff. He took a plain slice and savored it. Not one of the kids asked for butter, jam, peanut butter, or any other condiment. The bread alone was plenty to satisfy. Coming from someone who has been deathly afraid of yeast, this was a VERY simple recipe. I can also attest to the fact that kids love kneading the bread.