Baking Bread

On Mondays I typically bake a few loaves of bread, and in a prior post I mentioned I would write up the recipe I use.

In a  large bowl mix together 2 cups of all purpose flour with a package of yeast- set aside
then
Put 1 and 3/4 cups of water into a pan and add 3 tbsps of butter and 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar and 1 tsp salt....and heat this on the stove till butter melts and water is 130 degrees.

Add the  liquid to flour and yeast and beat with mixer on low for 30 seconds- make sure to scrape sides of bowl. Then beat on high for 3 minutes.
Using a spoon add in 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of wheat germ and 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, try to mix it together as much as you can.
Dump the dough onto a floured counter and knead for about 6-8 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth.
Make dough into a ball and put in an oiled bowl-turn to coat. Cover with a towel in a warm spot (For some reason I am always doing dishes when I am baking bread, so I put the bowl on the counter over the dishwasher and the drying cycle makes the counter warm) Let rise for about an hour and a half-until double in size and when you poke it with your finger, the dents stay.
Pull dough into two equal pieces and set them down to rest with a cover over them for about 10 minutes. (they are tired from rising and being yanked apart)
Lightly oil two bread pans and when the dough is done resting, shape into loaves-sealing any seams with your fingers.
Then bake in a preheated oven set at 375 for 35-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. (helloooo...are you done yet?)
Take out of oven, let cool for a millisecond, get them out of the loaf pans, slice off a super hot slice, put butter and honey on it, and fall in love.  ;-)