If you can do laundry, You can make yummy healthy bread!

If you can do laundry, you can make bread.

People are always surprised when they find out I bake our sandwich bread each week. I started doing so a little over a year ago and have gone through several recipes and techniques(one rise and two rise) but now I have it down to a very simple system. I even have the recipe memorized.  I like to make bread while I am doing laundry  because the dryer is one of my time saving tricks.I usually make it on Friday  so we have it for sandwiches on the weekend and the first of next week. I make it again on Tuesday if I need to. The whole process only takes a little over an hour.

All you need is:

1. 2 1/4 warm water (microwave about 1 minute needs to be around 115 degrees)
2. 5 cups Whole Wheat Flour (you can use white wheat too) (I am sure you could use other flours too)
3. 1/4 cup coconut oil or olive oil ( I really like the way the coconut oil taste better)
4. 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey (I like the maple best and plus it makes it stay vegan)
5. 2 packages rapid rise yeast
6. 1 teaspoon salt (I usually use 2, I like salt.)

First, oil bread pan so that it will be ready.(I lightly grease my pan with coconut oil. again you can you olive oil) Combine all ingredients in mixer mixing bowl with half the flour.  Mix using paddle attachment or dough hook for until all is combined. Use spatula to scrap sides. Turn mixer on low and gradually add the rest of the flour about 1/2 cup at time.(if it looka a little soupy add more flour) Mix until all flour has all been added. Scrap sides again to make sure it is mixed well. Let the mixer run for about one minute.

 I then dump the bread dough into my pan. I smooth the loaf so it will cook evenly.(I use a large silicone bread pan, you could use 2 smaller loaf pans, too.)

  I place my pan on a cookie sheet and place it on the top of the running dryer. I then cover my pan. You can also just place it in a warm place in your house. Let your bread rise for about 30 minutes

 I place my pan on a cookie sheet and place it on the top of the running dryer. I then cover my pan. You can also just place it in a warm place in your house. Let your bread rise for about 30 minutes. It should have double in size.

Then place on the bottom rack of your oven, set to 350 degrees. Let bake for 30-35 minutes but make sure to  test to the middle to make sure it is done. I use a metal kabob skewer to test things when i am baking. You could also use a small knife.  It also sounds hallow when you thump it when it is done.

  Then just try to let it cool before cutting. It never does at my house. 

I started with a recipe that from gold medal flour's website and went from there!

Kindergarten Perspective on Diversity

Today, I went for my weekly volunteer time in Rylee’s kindergarten classroom. I go during their literacy center time. The class is broken up into different stations such as reading, writing, listening, games, etc. Today, I worked with children in the writing center. Each time I go, I learn something and gain a new perspective. Today, I got to work with two children from Saudi Arabia, one who just started this week, and another child whom I had worked with before. This sweet new face got me thinking about understanding and embracing differences(we had a little communication issue to begin with). Rylee’s class has a lot of diversity. Several ethnic backgrounds are present in her room. This is one of the reasons I like Rylee’s school so much. Rylee has experienced more diversity her first 3 ½ weeks of school than I did k-12. I never knew much about other types of individual as a child, I learned about other places and traveled through the US but the idea of diversity was never introduced to me as being important. I only really knew black and white and honestly, I never did learn much about African American culture. Which is a shame because an amazing African American woman helped to raise me and was one of the most important individuals in my life.  I am not talking history. I am talking culture. It is important to learn about where individuals come from, what they believe, and why. I think as Americans we take that fact that we were all once immigrants for granted. I am not even sure most Americans really even know their own cultural background. I don’t really. We all studied the hardships in our history classes that different ethnic and cultural groups have gone through but have we ever applied to our everyday lives.  It is very important to me that my children grow up knowing that every person has value and purpose. I want them to know diversity is a good thing. If we were all the same, it would be quite boring, right? What is important to understand is people may look different, people may act differently but essentially we are all the same. We all just want to know that we are loved and understood by someone. These children are a great example of understanding and community because all they see when they look at each other is their friend and classmate, a child that is like them.  I think the ability to except and understand others is just as important as any other thing we teach our young. Difference is a good thing and often it is not valued like it should be. If your child does not have this type of exposure on a day to day basis, you can create exposure for them.With the technology we have today no one should limit their cultural exposure to the world or even our own country.