Whole Wheat Bread

Oh, the places and the things you do when you NEED something. We needed bread pretty bad and all the roads were snowed and iced over. I wasn't going to get out. Just to throw in more of a challenge; I had no butter or sugar. Nice. Anyway, I happened to look on the back of a Kroger bag of whole wheat flour and BAM...a recipe that I could use. Needless to say, we all like it. My 6 yr. old does say the crust kind of taste funny, but that's just whole wheat crust for you.

Whole Wheat Flour (makes 2 loaves)

2 pkg. active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp)

1 cup warm milk (110-120 degrees)

2 eggs

2 tsp salt

1 cup warm water (110-120 degrees)

1/3 cup honey

5 1/4- 5 1/2 cups, whole wheat flour, divided

1/4 cup shortening

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. To the dissolved yeast, add the warm milk, honey, eggs, and 3 cups flour. Using an electric mixer, beat 3 minutes on medium speed. Cover and allow sponge to rest 30 mins. Stir in salt and enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. To avoid adding extra flour in the kneading process, gradually knead in shortening by hand. If using dough hooks add shortening, knead dough by hand or with hooks for 12 to 13 mins. or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl; turn the dough to coat the top. Cover and place in an 80 degree environment until the dough has risen and doubled in size. Punch down. Cover; let rise again until doubled. Punch down, remove from bowl and divide the dough in half.

Cover; let rise for 10 mins.

Roll each half into a 14x7 inch rectangle. Starting at the shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll. Pinch edges and ends to seal. Place in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover with damp cloth; let rise in an 80 degree environment until doubled in size and an indentation remains after touching.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 10 mins. at 400. Lower oven temp. to 375 and continue to bake for 25 to 30 mins. Remove from pans and cool.