National Homemade Bread Day

The first recipe I ever posted on this blog was back in September of 2008. In the six years since I first posted it, I've tinkered with that recipe, so much so that I thought it was time to update my original instructions. Today is National Homemade Bread Day, and that seems like the perfect time to share The Bread again.

The Bread

Ingredients:

• 5 cups warm water
• 3 Tbsp instant yeast
• 2/3 cup oil (canola, olive, or coconut all work great)
• 2/3 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 12 cups flour (I use 4 cups wheat and 8 cups white) 

1. Get a really, really big bowl.
2. Briefly mix together water, yeast, and a spoonful of the honey. Let it stand about 15 minutes, or until the yeast has puffed-up.
3. Add the oil.
4. Add the rest of the honey. (I pour it into the same cup that I used for the oil. The honey slides right out.)
5. Add the salt. 
6. Add the flour. 
7. Stick your clean hands directly into the mixture and combine ingredients.
8. When you're done kneading, place the bowl of dough, covered with a towel, on your counter. Let it rise for at least 30 minutes.
9. After it's risen, punch it down and form it into loaves. I get 4 loaves from each batch.
10. Place dough into greased bread pans.
11. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
12. Once in the pans, let bread rise again until the top of the dough reaches the top edge of the pan.
13. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
14. Enjoy!