Make the Bread, Buy the Butter

I wouldn't describe myself as a "crunchy" person, I just like food that tastes good and anything that saves me money. Fresh food tastes better than processed food, cloth diapers are cheaper and better quality than disposables. It turns out baking bread will save you nearly three dollars a loaf, makes your house smell fantastic and tastes delicious. Therefore, I'm in. Last week I purchased a book called Make the Bread, Buy the Butter and I highly recommend it. The author spent years home making common foods and figuring out if it was cheaper to do it that way than to purchase it processed and if it was worth it based upon time and hassle commitment. Basically, she did all of my leg work for me. Brilliant. There are also 120 recipes in it, and out of the few I've tested I approve! So here's my first experiment- her sandwich bread (no kneading, one rise, super easy) Recipe below. Yum:

Natural vegetable oil, for greasing
1 teaspoon instant yeast
3 1/2 cups whey (from making yogurt) or water at room temperature
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup flaxseeds (optional)
4 teaspoons kosher salt

1. Oil the inside of two 9x5 metal loaf pans (apparently the bread sticks to glass)
2. In a large bowl mix yeast, liquid, flour, seeds and salt
3. Scrape the dough into the pans, cover with a clean damp dish towel and let it rise until it is level with the tops of the pans (2-5 hours)
4. Preheat the oven to 450degrees F.
5. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes in the pan, remove from the pans and bake directly on the rack for another 15. (My oven must cook hot because my bread was done in 25 minutes and only required 5 on the rack)

She says "The bread is done when it is richly colored and sounds hallow when tapped."

Brilliantly easy, quite delicious, especially hot....