Grandma Bright's Bread

Grandma Bright holding Johnathan

There was nothing better than Grandma Bright's bread while I was growing up. Grandma worked in the lunch room at the elementary school for years and the entire town loved her cinnamon rolls...which she made from scratch to serve at school.

We all wanted to learn how to make it just like her. I took my turn trying to learn it. Grandma made bread while I watched. I guessed at the measurements as she used an old coffee mug to add the flour, a pinch of this and a shake of that. Unfortunately, I wasn't able (for reasons of my own) to stop Grandma and take the time to actually measure everything as she put it in. I did find a recipe later that came close, but close isn't the same.

This spring (while I was doing the hcg diet) I learned that some of my cousins had spent time with Grandma and learned her bread recipe. They had been more assertive than me and had the actual measurements of Grandma Bright's Bread Recipe. I was finally able to try it out today!

Yummy!

Grandma Bright's Bread

1 cup warm/hot water (from the tap is plenty hot...don't want to kill the yeast)

1 Tbsp yeast

Add yeast to the water and let sit until foamy.

Add:

1 tsp salt

1/4-1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or oil

3 cups flour

If you are using a Bosch or Kitchen Aide, add the flour gradually. Let it knead until it looks good. Rise with the lid on or covered with a dish towel for 45 minutes. Grease cookie sheet or 9 x 13 pan for rolls, or 2 bread pans for bread. Punch down the dough and pan it. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and let the dough rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size. (Hint: if you rise it in a warm--about 180 degree--oven it can cut that time in half.) Bake 20 minutes for rolls, or 30-35 minutes for loaves. Makes 2 loaves of bread, 24 dinner rolls or 12 cinnamon rolls. Recipe can be doubled.

Bread and Races

While we were doing all the canning a week ago my Magic Mill mixer gave up the ghost and we ordered a new Bosch. After about 5 days and I still hadn't heard a word from the company, Tom called them and found out that the order hadn't gone through. So we got online and ordered through a local company called Harvest House. It was going to cost $100 more, but we figured we'd at least have somewhere to take it if we had problems in the coming months.

That afternoon, Harvest House called to tell me that because of a special they had going they could save me $75! Then she asked when I wanted the Bosch delivered. She asked if I wanted it that day and where I lived. I gave her directions and then she said, "We'd want to beat the traffic. Will you be home in the next hour?" OF COURSE, I WILL! I was so excited! Not only that, but she called back today to see how my new machine is doing.

My favorite bread recipe:

Whole Wheat Bread

6 cups warm water

2/3 cups oil

2/3 cups honey

2 Tbsp salt

2 Tbsp yeast

1/3 cup gluten flour

1 Tbsp lemon juice

16 cups whole wheat flour (approx.)

Blend water, yeast, oil, honey, salt, gluten flour and lemon juice with about 9 cups of the flour. With mixer on, continue to add more flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Beat on medium to high speed 10-15 minutes, until gluten is formed and dough becomes elastic. Mold and place in greased bread pans. Let rise until about an inch above the pan while preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Put bread in preheated oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Makes 5 loaves.

Now for the racing...

Tom was talking to his aunt last time we were in Utah and she told him the best thing she ever did was start running marathons when she was 50. So he came home and found the Barber to Boise 5k run to enter.

Tom and Tim before the race


Here's Tom warming up for the race.

Below is Tim warming up (or should I say...goofing off with James)

Tim is nearing the finish line!

Here comes the old man!

After the race

Hannah said, "Mom, we should train for the 5k walk next year." I think it's a great idea.