April 18, 2013

Honey Wheat Seeded Bread

This is my Dad's favorite bread recipe. Because of that, it has a special place in my heart. While my father-in-law is recovering from his car accident amazingly, my Dad is not getting better. He is still in experimental treatments and wondering what will happen next. I'm so impressed with the way Mom and he are handling all of this...one day at a time. I'm grateful for whatever time we have left, but it's hard to think about what's happening inside his body. Cancer is so unpredictable...it pretty much sucks. Some of the things he loved to eat before, don't even taste good to him anymore. That's where the bread comes in.

If there is anything I can do to make Dad's life a little happier right now, I'm all for it. And this bread seems to make him happy. Sometimes it's as simple as a loaf of fresh bread. It's really all I can do.

I love you Dad.

Honey Wheat Seeded Bread
Ingredients
2 packets yeast (or two tbsp)
1 c warm water
1 1/2 c warm milk
2 eggs
1/2 c honey
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 c oil
3 c wheat flour
2 c white flour (or go all wheat)
1/4 c wheat germ

1/4 c sesame seeds
1/4 c sunflower seeds
1 egg white
water

Combine water
and yeast in a glass measuring cup to allow yeast to proof {For specifics on bread making and yeast, see this post.} The water should feel warm to your fingers, but not hot.
Once your yeast is proofed (or should that be "proved itself") pour it into a large stand mixer bowl. Add the milk, honey, sugar, salt and oil. Blend together. Add the wheat flour and blend together using a dough hook on the mixer. Add 1 cup of the white flour and reserve the rest of the flour. Add the wheat germ and seeds.
You want to knead the dough in the mixer for about 5 minutes until the it's smooth, adding small amounts of the remaining 1 cup of flour a little at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forming a ball. You may not use all of the flour if it's a dry day or you may need a little more if it's a humid day outside, but you shouldn't vary more than 1/2 c more or less in what you need.

Put your dough into a greased bowl and cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm place until it doubles in bulk. This should take around 1 hour unless your kitchen is pretty cold. You can figure out if yeast bread is ready with the
poke test
When the dough passes the poke test, you need to gently deflate it by folding it or "punching" it down. Then let the dough rest for 5 minutes or so (which means just leave it alone for a few minutes).
Cut dough into two portions and shape into loaves. Put in greased loaf pans and cover loosely again. Let rise for 30 minutes.
To make the top look pretty, brush it with a little egg white and water wash (which means use fork to mix some egg white and water). Then sprinkle on oatmeal, seeds, wheat germ. The egg wash works like glue and holds it all on the top - looking like it came from a fancy bakery.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool on racks.

Try giving this loaf of fresh bread to someone you love. Wait til it cools, then wrap in in plastic wrap. Then put it in a old citrus/ apple mesh bag. Tie the ends with pretty ribbon and you have a wonderful gift and you didn't spend a lot of money. Those mesh bags are also great for smoothie gifts and assorted other ideas - like homemade pot scrubbers. How do you repurpose them?
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April 9, 2013

Giveaway to Publix! $25 Gift Card - Closed

 CONGRATULATIONS to the winner...Gina!!
It's HERE AGAIN - Publix GIFT CARD time!!

I really love shopping at Publix, it is a pleasure, especially since they have become so coupon friendly. I never have problems stacking coupons there. I love their buy one get one free deals!! (today is was Juicy Juice.) Right now they are running a special promo on cereals which is nice because we can blow through a box of that stuff over two mornings at our house. The people that work there are so nice to my kids and always help me out to the car. The stores and clean and well stocked. Their produce is wonderful and now I have discovered their mango key lime pie - which ROCKS!
I also love the discounts I get with their two clubs. One is for babies (Baby Club) and the other is for preschoolers (Preschooler Club). If you haven't signed up, you really should. They send all kinds of great coupons and fun things for the kids. The most treasured item they have ever sent us is the Publix-saures computer game. The game is so easy and comfortable that I have taught each one of my kids about the computer starting with it. The cursor is HUGE and easy to find. The questions are completely age appropriate. For example, you can help Pearl the Polar Bear put away the groceries in the right places. You can play hide-and-seek with Chaz the Cheetah or even learn about safety rules with Barry the St. Bernard. My kids especially loved the coin rewards that the game gives you when you get the right answers. Whoever designed this thing KNEW kids!

Publix (through My Blog Spark.com and General Mills) has given me a $25 gift certificate to giveaway to one lucky reader. 

You can even get multiple chances to win! Please leave separate comments for EACH entry and be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. All of them are easy…you ready?…
•Simply leave a comment on this post (on the blog, not on facebook)
•Share this post on Facebook by hitting the FB button
•Like Chickenville on Facebook
•Subscribe to Chickenville by RSS or Email
•Add my blog button to your site(in blog roll etc.)
•Tweet this giveaway with button on bottom of post

Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. All entries must have a valid email in blog profile or leave email address in comments. This giveaway will close Wednesday April, 17th at 11pm.

The winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by email.

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