Honey (Whole) Wheat Bread

Homemade bread is one of my favorite foods...especially hot out of the oven with butter and honey.  All of the credit for this recipe goes to the mother of a college friend.  It is absolutely delicious!  I generally do half or three-quarters of the recipe (3 or 4 loaves). It makes THE BEST grilled cheese sandwiches.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread (from the kitchen of Joyce Taron)
YIELD: 6 loaves

This recipe requires a large capacity mixer equipped with a dough hook.

Combine the following ingredients in the mixer bowl, using the dough hook attachment:

11 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup gluten flour (optional, but this helps the dough to be more elastic and rise better)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2 tablespoons salt

Add liquids:

½ cup vegetable oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
9 cups hot (but not too hot) tap water

Mix for 3 minutes. Let sponge for 10 minutes. Add, 1 cup at a time:

10 cups white flour (or whole wheat, for a delicious but heavier bread)

Knead by machine 5 minutes. Cover the bowl of dough with a dish towel and let rise until doubled. Stir the dough down and shape into 6 loaves. Place in greased bread pans and let rise until almost doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Turn loaves out of pans to cool on rack.

NOTE FROM JOYCE: This is a genuine Taron family recipe. Rick and I developed this recipe about 20 years ago, experimenting with other favorite recipes, until we came up with a whole wheat bread that isn’t crumbly. It makes great sandwiches, and even better toast.

Double Chocolate Banana (or Applesauce) Muffins

This is my favorite recipe for using up the overripe bananas that inevitably hang around past the point of enjoyable consumption. You can use banana, applesauce, or a mix of the two. They've always been a hit!

YIELD: 1 dozen

1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1⅓ cups mashed bananas (or applesauce)
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup (6-ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, combine bananas (or applesauce), oil and egg; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350°F for 20 - 25 minutes or until muffins test done.

Rhubarb Muffins

When I was a kid, growing up in Alaska, we always had plenty of rhubarb growing in the garden.  It seems like it is one of those things that people either love or hate.  I'm definitely a fan!

1½ cups brown sugar
2/3 cups oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup nuts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2½ cups flour
1½ cups rhubarb, chopped

TOPPING:

½ cup finely chopped nuts
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all muffin ingredients and mix. Pour into lined or greased muffin tins. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle top of muffins. Bake for 25 minutes at 400°F.

Sunbeam Rolls

These rolls are a family tradition at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They are light and delicious and evoke a lot of memories! Just don't forget the salt. Trust me.

1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup milk
½ cup margarine
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
4½ to 5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; set aside.  Scald milk and add sugar and butter.  Add eggs and mix.  Add salt, 2 cups flour and yeast mixture.  Add remaining flour to form soft dough.  Let rise until double in size.  Divide dough in half.  Roll each half into a 12-inch circle. Spread with butter. Cut into 12 wedges. Roll up the wedges starting with the wide end. Place rolls with point under on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until double (about 1 hour).  Bake at 375°F for 10 - 15 minutes.