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The Best of Bread
It can feed the masses, and most of its ingredients are right in your pantry.
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The Best of Bread
There's nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread. These recipes from our sister magazine Cooking Light are some of our favorites.
Becky Luigart-Stayner

SIMPLE WHITE BREAD

1 teaspoon sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2�¼ teaspoons)
1�¼ cups warm water (100�° to 110�°F), divided
3 cups all-purpose flour
1�¼ teaspoons salt
Cooking spray
1 large egg, lightly beaten

DISSOLVE sugar and yeast in �¼-cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Add 1 cup warm water, flour and salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface.

KNEAD dough until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85�°F), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

UNCOVER dough and punch down. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Uncover dough; punch dough down. Cover again and let rest 10 minutes. Roll into a 14- x 7-inch rectangle on a floured surface.

ROLL up tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place roll, seam side down, in an 8- x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

PREHEAT oven to 425�°F. Uncover dough; gently brush with egg. Bake at 425�° for 12 minutes.

REDUCE oven temperature to 350�° (do not remove bread from oven); bake an additional 15 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack. YIELD: 12 SERVINGS

BANANA-OAT QUICK BREAD

1�½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
�¾ cup packed brown sugar
2�½ teaspoons baking powder
�¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
�½ cup low-fat buttermilk
�¼ cup vegetable oil
�¼ cup egg substitute or 2 large egg whites
Cooking spray
�¼ cup quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons butter or stick margarine

PREHEAT oven to 350�°F. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.

COMBINE flour and next 4 ingredients (oats through salt) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine banana, buttermilk, oil and egg substitute in a bowl; add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist.

SPOON batter into an 8- x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Combine �¼-cup oats, walnuts, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and butter, and sprinkle over batter.

BAKE at 350�° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. YIELD: 16 SERVINGS
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