first attempt at bread-making

I've always wanted to make home-made bread, but to say I was nervous would be understating my feelings. Part of my insecurities were founded on not owning a bread machine. I realize that many people have made bread for many years without having a machine. I am such a perfectionist and it gets me in trouble more times than I care to admit.

Last week I found a recipe that looked and sounded delicious. It also was part wheat, so that seemed healthy for my family. It did turn out to be more work, but the end result was totally worth the effort. I made a loaf last week and again this week. We ate the bread with our dinner while it was still warm and then used the rest of the loaf for sandwiches during the week. We didn't have to worry about the bread going bad because it didn't last long enough for that!

I found the recipe while browsing moneysavingmom.com, my go-t0 site for frugal ideas and recipes. She gave a link to Tammy's Recipes where the homemade wheat bread was located. You can get the recipe for the bread here with full directions for making it whole wheat or part wheat or you can look below for the version I made. Happy Baking!

Description:
A slightly sweet, healthy half-whole-wheat bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)

1 tablespoon milk

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Instructions:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.
2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
3. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening.
5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm! Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.