Kitchen Sink Bread

As in Everything but the kitchen sink.  THAT is what I put in this bread.  It is a mix of recipes from Jane Brody's Good Food Book.  That is my go-to book for healthy soups and breads.  I wanted to make a super healthy bread and so I took a little from this and some from that recipe and this is the bread I ended up with.  The bread is a very dense whole grain bread and it has a fine texture.  It is tasty and smells great when toasting!

Kitchen Sink Bread

2 cups non-fat milk
1/4 cup sorghum  My aunt LOVES sorghum and brought me some.  If you don't have any, use molasses.
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons butter

Put these ingredients in a large heat proof bowl.  I used a 4 cup measuring glass.  You can also use a pan on the stove.  You just need to heat the milk enough to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar.  Let it set while you get out the rest of the ingredients.  Then when it is cool add ...

2 packets yeast  CHECK the date.  Fresh yeast is a must.

Stir the yeast in the milk and let it proof or get all bubbly.  If it doesn't, then you will have a problem.  Go to the store, get more yeast, start over.

In a LARGE bowl add...

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup soy flour
2 cups white flour
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons salt  If you must avoid sodium, leave it out, but it really tastes better with a bit of salt


Kitchen sink, remember??  I had a bunch of different flour in my pantry and decided to make some fun bread.  You can use what you want, but try to end up with the same amount of flour to milk to yeast ratio.  Like I said, mine is very dense, yours may be different.

Carefully pour in the milk mixture to the flour.  Mix well.  Then let it sit while you put everything but the white flour away and get out some vegetable oil.  Then wash the counter, twice, and wash your hands.  This allows the bread to sit for a bit.

I use a cup measure and scoop some flour out of the canister.  Then I take a small amount of flour and sprinkle it on the counter.  As this flour is absorbed, I add more.  It is convenient and I don't have to reach into the flour canister.

Scrape all the dough onto the very clean counter.  Now you have to knead.  If the dough is sticky, sprinkle the flour right on the dough ball.  Pull the top of the dough towards you so that it bends in half and then push it away with the heel of your hands.  Turn the dough ball a quarter turn and do it again.  Do this for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Drizzle the oil into the bowl you have been using to mix the dough.  place the dough in the bowl and turn it so that it is coated in oil and so are the sides of the bowl. 

                                           

Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and place in a warm spot.  Sometimes I pre-heat the oven to 200, turn it off and place the dough in there to rise for 1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

                                        

Dump the dough out onto a clean counter.  Punch it down and divide it into three equal pieces.  Roll each section out into a rectangle and then roll it up .  Pinch the edges to seal it and turn the ends under.  Place the seam side down in a bread pan that you have sprayed with Pam.  Let these rise for another 1 1/2 hours.

                                          

Bake in a 350 oven for 40 minutes.  Turn out on to a wire rack to cool.  I cut a piece and buttered it to taste it, but was in such a hurry that I didn't take a picture.  That is the best bread, right out of the oven.  Well, you have to let it cool for a bit, but still!
                        
                                         

So then I cut some for breakfast the next morning.  It was good with butter and also with strawberry jam.  It's hard to beat homemade bread.