Recipes From the Porch: 5 Grain Bread

It's been a hot minute since I posted a recipe. Actually, it's been a hot minute since I spent much time in the kitchen at all; the stress of job change, life change, THE Change, etc., have smothered any motivation I have had to cook or bake. I'm working on improving that shituation (and, no, that is not a misspelling; it's been a shituation for sure).

So, today, I bring you a recipe for a hearty bread, made in a bread machine. Remember bread machines? They were all the rage back in the nineties. It just so happens that I still own one, and, there was only a quarter inch or so of dust on it when I retrieved it from the inner-most recesses of my cabinet a few weeks ago.

The recipe for the bread originated on Pinterest, but, it took a few tries and some tweaking before it worked in my machine, at my altitude, with my ingredients, etc., so, if you try it and it doesn't work out (mine would rise, and then collapse during baking. It was still really tasty, just not at all pretty); make sure your yeast is alive, then, try tweaking the amount of liquid. Anyhoodle, on to the recipe!

The ingredients:

1 1/4 cup water, at room temperature
2 Tbsp oil (I used regular old vegetable oil)
1/4 cup honey (local is best!)
1 1/2 Cup bread flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup 5 grain hot cereal (I used Bob's Red Mill, which I found in our local organic market)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp yeast (I use the yeast made specifically for bread machines, and, a tip: if you've refrigerated an open jar, bring the yeast to room temperature before using)

Place the ingredients in your machine, according to the recommendations of the manufacturer (located in the manual that came with your machine. You know, assuming you kept it, and, can actually locate it. If not, Google search is about to become your best friend).

My machine requires the liquids to be added first, followed by the dry ingredients, with the yeast being the final component added. My machine also recommends that I use a rubber spatula to smooth the dry ingredients completely over the liquids, spreading all the way to the sides of the pan, all the way around.

For baking the bread, again, follow the recommendations for your specific machine. Mine allows me to choose a wheat bread option and to control the darkness of the crust.

Once the bread machine has completed its cycle, remove the bread and allow it to cool.

Just kidding! Slice into that bad boy and enjoy a nice, warm slab with a generous smear of sweet cream butter. If that's your jam. Or, hey! Use jam! If that's your jam.

And, there it is! Easy peasy,lemon breezy!