Give us this day our daily bread...

  I don't bake alot of bread... not that we don't enjoy having it around, I just don't often take the time to make it. (I want to try & do better about that, it really isn't hard & I enjoyed it.)
  So the other night I got to thinking about homemade bread & how long it has been since I've had any. Decided right then & there to change that. =)
  I checked out some recipes & narrowed it down to either Oatmeal or Sourdough. Asked Daren which he would prefer & he chose Sourdough.
  The starter has to sit for at least 12 hours , so I made it that night around 10:00. Went to bed excited about the thought of fresh homemade bread the next day!! =)

{Sourdough Bread}



Starter:

2 cups warm water

1 tbsp yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup potato flakes

2 cups flour

Stir yeast & sugar into water in a large bowl. After 10 minutes or more, stir in potato flakes & flour. Beat until smooth. Cover loosely & let set 12-24 hours at room temperature.

Bread:

sourdough starter

2 cups warm water

1 tbsp yeast

2/3 cup sugar

4 tsp salt

1/2 lb butter

10-11 cups flour

Dissolve sugar & yeast in warm water. Add salt & soft butter. Stir in the entire sourdough starter & begin adding flour until dough is stiff enough to knead by hand. Shape into 4 loaves & let rise in greased bread pans until doubled.



[ready for the oven]



 After it has risen bake @ 350* for about 30 minutes. Remove from pans & rub butter over top. Cover loosely until cool.



[mm mm fresh baked bread]

  Since I worked the next day, didn't bake the bread until 5:00ish. Daren was working so I took the guys a fresh-from-the-oven loaf with homemade frozen strawberry jam. They ate almost the whole loaf for breakfast the next morning....they must have somewhat liked it ;)
  The recipe makes 4 loaves which is great...Had one for the guys, gave one to a friend, ate part of one myself that evening =) & put one in the freezer for later use.

  A fresh slice of homemade bread slathered with homemade strawberry rhubarb jam....(does it get any better than that?)

Happy baking! =)

♥ Sheila