Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I've been looking for good wheat bread recipes and this fits the bill! I could barely wait to slice off a piece and slather it with a little salted butter. Oh. my. goodness.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. warm milk
1/2 c. warm water
1 pkg yeast
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp softened butter, divided
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. all purpose flour
2 tbsp cinnamon, divided
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. raisins
1 egg + 2 tbsp warm water

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl combine warm milk, water, yeast and 2 tsp of sugar.  Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

While yeast is resting, combine the flours, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp softened butter, salt and 1 tbsp cinnamon in a large bowl. If you are using a mixer use the paddle attachment and mix on slow. Then, drizzle in the water, yeast, milk mixture while the machine is running. Increase speed to high and mix for about 6-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If you're working by hand add the water mixture to the dry ingredients and knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth. **I prefer to mix it by hand. I can get a better read on the dough and adjust the flour accordingly.

Place dough ball into a large bowl, sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 90 minutes in a warm, draft free place.

While dough is rising, mix remaining 3 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp sugar in a small bowl until smooth.

After dough has doubled in size roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface into a long rectangle. Spread the butter mixture all over the top of the rolled out dough. Sprinkle the raisins over top of the butter and roll up into a tight loaf.

Place dough in a greased pan and cover with a cloth and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the egg and warm water then brush all over the loaf. Bake for 40 minutes. Let cool, slice and enjoy!

Recipe: Adapted from Eat Live Run

Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

 So, first-thing's-first... thank you guys so much for visiting my blog! I hit 700 page views today! That is pretty dang cool! I see a lot of pinterest links and that is also pretty dang cool - makes a girl feel loved...Anywho, I was recently out of town and need to play catch up! So in the next few days you may be overloaded with carbs, because I am...overloaded with carbs. Oh, also I finally got my comments working. If you'd like to leave a comment on a post feel free (link on the bottom of the post), I'd love to hear from you!

This recipe is top notch! Don't be fooled by my sad, sad picture, I was running short on time and wasn't able to let it rise for the correct amount of time. It still turned out delicious!

The recipe below is by weight, if you don't have a cheapy little digital scale at home I suggest you go to the nearest hardware store and buy one for five bucks, OR, you can do as I did and walk out to the mountain of tools that your husband has accumulated and pick out your favorites.



 I "picked" this great little digital scale out of the tool pile, washed it up and it's been living in my kitchen ever since - SCORE!

INGREDIENTS:

 370 grams all purpose flour

48 grams old fashioned oats

14 grams sugar

1 pkt active dry yeast (not instant)

15 grams very soft butter (1 tbsp), unsalted

10 grams salt

1 1/3 cups warm water

Additional old fashioned oats for rolling

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl/cup add the warm water, a pinch of sugar and the active dry yeast. Set aside until yeast has become foamy.

In a large bowl, or bowl of a mixer, mix together the flour, oats, salt and sugar. Add the soft butter and slowly pour in the yeast and water mixture.

Mix with either your hands or using a mixer with a dough hook attachment until the dough is smooth. It will be sticky. By hand, will take eight minutes or so of kneading. If you're using a mixer, it will take approximately four minutes on high speed. (I personally like hand kneading)

Cover bowl with dishcloth and set in a warm place to rise for 1 - 1&1/2 hour(s), until the dough has doubled in size.

When the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down to release any air bubbles. Then cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes on the counter.

Form your dough into a small log and roll in oats. Place the loaf into a greased bread pan, cover with a cloth and let rise again for 45 minutes. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

When you are ready to bake, reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F and place the loaf in the oven. Do not open the oven! (it will release steam!) Cook for 45 minutes. When done the loaf should be a rich golden brown. If you're unsure if the bread is finished keep it in for five minutes longer.

Notes:

I wish I would have let mine rise the full amount of time, next time I will and believe me, there will be a next time!

Recipe: Exact recipe from Eat Live Run

Photo credit for scale here

Honey, Wheat and Oat Pancakes

These pancakes are fluffy and flavorful. I would like to say they are healthy...but I don't think I can promise that.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all spice
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp honey

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk all your wet ingredients together until well combined then add them to the flour and oat mixture. Whisk until combined and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  In a well greased pan/griddle, set on medium heat, pour 1/4 cup of batter. Cook on one side until you see small bubbles forming and popping on the edges of the cakes then flip. This should make approximately eight to ten  three-inch pancakes.

NOTES:
It's important that you let them sit before cooking them. It makes them fluffy.

This recipe would be killer with some bananas sliced in it. Sadly I had none. I did however add in some very thinly sliced apples and they turned out delicious.

I eat mine with good maple syrup and butter. I also sometime have a hankering for honey and peanut butter slathered on it. (slathered is totally a word) OR even some raspberry jam...mmmm.