If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Grandpa's Bread

This is the recipe for my grandparents daily bread. Both Grandma and Grandpa were the best bakers and I learned how to make this bread from Grandpa.
It's just about the simplest bread recipe I've ever come across. And the best tasting. No fancy ingredients or equipment needed.
This bread is perfect for breakfast toast, sandwiches and just eating with any meal.

Grandpa's Bread

2 cups warm water
1 package yeast
1 t salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil - they used Wesson or Crisco oil - I used melted butter
about 6 cups of flour - they used all-purpose flour, I used 2 cups of whole wheat and 4 cups of unbleached
dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Then stir in the salt, oil and most of the flour. Mix well, then knead until you have a smooth dough. They kneaded it all by hand, I let my Kitchenaid mixer do most of the work
Let dough rise in an oiled bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, until at least double in size.
Punch down. Divide in 2. Shape into loaves and place in greased bread pans.
Let rise again, until at least double.
Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes.

Here's my dough after the first rising, I even have their Pyrex bowl.

my 2 loaves baked

A loaf of bread lasts about 3 days with Jeff, Theo and I. I sliced both loaves, put them in Tupperware, and put the second loaf in the freezer for later in the week.

Linked up to Gayles Grocery Cart Recipe Challenge

Friday, March 19, 2010

Sepia Saturday - vintage farm dogs

On my grandparents farm, they always had a farm dog. I was just 3 or 4 and playing alone at the farm. A rooster that jumped on my back and the farm dog Doc chased away that mean rooster. When the attack was over, I went in the farmhouse and told my parents and grandparents that "Doc saved me"
I don't remember any dogs ever coming in the house. They lived outside, ate scraps left from the evening meal and earned their keep by watching over the land and farm animals.

This is Grandpa, why he was on a bicycle is a mystery, but that is definitely a farm dog getting in the picture.

I'm not sure who this baby is, it might be my mom. Whoever it is, they sure seem to like the dog.

My mom, Uncle Bill is wearing a cowboy hat and is kind of behind her and the dog.

Uncle Jarvis with one of his much-loved bird dogs.

Visit Sepia Saturday for more sepias - and participate if you have some sepias to share.