Dad's Bread Recipe

Dad's Bread was famous in our neighborhood. I remember we had an auction once and one loaf went for $35 dollars. My dad was kind of embarrassed about the fuss, but we all new it was good. Dad didn't ever go straight off of a recipe, but this was pretty much it, except he mixed the wheat with 50% white flour. I purposely have left out one secret ingredient, but then again how do you measure love?

2 Tbls Yeast in ½ cup warm water
5 cups hot water from tap
7 cups unsifted whole wheat flour
2/3 cups honey (or molasses, or 1/3 cup each)
2/3 cups cooking oil
2 Tbls Salt
5-6 cups more whole wheat flour

1. Sprinkle yeast in ½ cup warm water. Do Not Stir
2. Combine 5 cups hot tap water and 7 cups flour in Mixer Bowl and mix on LOW speed, while you combine oil, salt and honey (or molasses) in a separate bowl.
3. Add the salt, oil and honey to the mixture in the bread mixer, and continue to mix until everything is well blended.
4. By this time, the yeast should have had plenty of time to brew. The yeast should be on top of the water. Add to ingredients in the mixing bowl and blend thoroughly.
5. Add 5-6 more cups of flour. Let the dough knead on LOW speed for 10 minutes
6. During this time, grease four bread pans. Oil hands and the counter. Remove dough from mixer ¼ of the amount at a time. The dough will be a little sticky, but will easily form in to loaves by shaping on the oiled counter and drawing in four ways to center of dough to form the loaf. Place in pan with folded side to bottom of pan. Watch the bread so that it does not rise more than 1/3 in bulk.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. When bread has baked, remove immediately fomr the pans. For a softer crust, brush tops of loaves with oil or butter. Cover with a kitchen towel to cool.

Variations
Sweet Rolls: pat out desired amount of basic bread recipe to ½’ thickness. Sprinkle on cinnamon. Sugar, raisins and nuts. Roll up and slice off about 1” thick. Place in muffin tins or pans. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes. Add glaze, if desired.

Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns: Add rye flour to whole wheat half and half. Form dough into buns. Brush on egg white and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.