Whole-Wheat "sugar" Bears

This is a bread recipe. Actually meant to make bread bears, but we have found that this is the wheat bread recipe that we like, so I just make loaves out of it (2-3 loaves). I made it this morning and it actually rose! I got my other unopened yeast out, so maybe that helped.

1 1/4 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 packages active dry yeast

about 4 cups all purpose flour

4 c whole-wheat flour

2 c milk

1 c butter

2 eggs

1 Tbsp water

In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast, 1 cup all purpose flour, and 2 cups wheat flour. In a saucepan over low heat, heat milk and butter until very warm.

With mixer at low speed, beat liquid into dry ingredients until blended. At medium speed, beat 2 minutes. Reserve 1 egg white; beat in remaining eggs and 1 cup of each flour; beat 2 minutes more. Stir in remaining wheat flour and enough additional all purpose flour to make a soft dough,

In floured surface, knead dough about 10 minutes, adding more flour. Shape into a ball. Cover and let rise about 1 hour.

Punch dough down, turn onto floured surface and let rest 15 minutes. Shape dough into loaves (2 or 3). Cover and let rise another hour.

Add 1 Tbsp water to egg white. Brush loaves with egg white (I usually forget this part and they still turn out fine). Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Cinamon Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Topping:
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp butter (yes, tsp not Tbsp)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x5 loaf pan.
Mix together dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until mixed. Pour half into pan.
Prepare topping. Put half topping in pan and swirl with knife. Add rest of the batter and then topping and swirl with knife again.
Bake for about 50 minutes.

This turned out really good, but I think I will bake it for a little less time next time. The crust turned out really hard. I think our oven bakes faster than I am used to, many things need less time than the recipe says.

Picture of Oatmeal Bread

So I just thought about taking a picture. Rex really likes the bread. When he got home, he just picked up the other loaf and bit a chunk out of it and then he cut it.

Oatmeal Batter Bread

I have been making bread to make our other bread last longer. We still buy bread from the store for sandwiches and stuff, because I have not yet found a good recipe for bread that we can use for sandwiches. I like trying other kinds of bread as well. Today I was looking through my Good Housekeeping Cookbook, which has a ton of recipes. I got the book from a Provo library book sale (I miss the Provo library), so it was cheap. The bread is good.

2 tsp salt
2 packages yeast
about 5 cups flour
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup oats (quick-cooking)
1/2 cup light molasses
butter or margarine

1. In large bowl combine salt, yeast, and 2 cups flour. In a saucepan mix together water, oats, and molasses with 1 Tbsp butter; over low heat, heat until very warm, but not boiling.
2. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat liquid mixture into dry ingredients until just blended. Increase speed to medium. Beat in remaining flour until makes a stiff dough that leaves sides of bowl.
3. Put in greased bowl; cover with towel and let rise 1 hour.
4. Stir down/punch down dough. Divide into 2 ans turn into 2 greased round straight sides casserole dishes (I used round cake pans). Cover and let rise about 45 minutes.
5. Cook 40 minutes on 350 degree oven.