Bev's Best Bread

(Becca)

1 can evaporated milk (or 12 oz regular milk)
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
5 cups warm water
2/3 cup honey (or sugar)
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons yeast
12-16 cups flour

Combine all ingredients. Add flour slowly until it cleans the bowl. Form into 4 loaves and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. Works best if you have four of the same pans so the baking time will be the same for all loaves.

Garlic Knots

(Riely via Chungah)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, parsley and salt; set aside.

Halve each of the 8 biscuits, making 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a 5-inch rope, about 1/2-inch thick, and tie into a knot, tucking the ends. Place knots onto the prepared baking sheet and brush each knot with half of the butter mixture. Place into oven and bake until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.

Serve immediately, brushed with remaining butter mixture.

Aunt Julie's Rolls

(Coco)

Dissolve together:
2 pkgs. yeast
 1/4 c. warm water
1 Tbsp sugar

In separate bowl, cream:

3/4 sugar
1 cup shortening

2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c. boiling water
1 c. cold water
6 cups flour

Instructions:

Dissolve yeast, water and sugar together in separate bowl. Then cream together the sugar and shortening.   Add boiling water to creamed sugar and shortening. Then add cold water, salt and eggs. Mix well and add yeast. Then mix in flour 2 cups at a time. The dough will be sticky. Let rise till it doubles.

Stir dough down. Then begin rolling out when ready. I add flour when I am rolling them out. Roll into a circle and then brush melted butter around the edge of the circle. Then cut the circle with a pizza cutter into wedges. I usually do 12-16 wedges. Roll into a crescent roll. Let the rolls rise before putting them in oven. Bake at 400 °.  Check at about 15 minutes. Brush with melted butter when they get out of the oven.

Monkey Bread

(Grandma Meisenbach)

Dissolve 2 packages of yeast in 1/2 cup warm water

Add:

1 1/2 cup luke warm water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2 beaten eggs

1/2 cup softened shortening

Add:

6 cups flour (more if needed)

    add a little at a time until soft dough is formed. Knead well until soft and smooth. 

Sugar Mixture:

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Tear off a piece at a time about the size of a small egg. Roll in ball. Dip in butter (about 3/4 cup) and then sugar mixture.

Place balls in greased tube pan until they touch. Put next layer on top. Let rise until double in size.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or more. Invert pan when it comes out of oven so sugar mixture can run down through the bread.

Grandma M's Whole Wheat Bread

(Aunt Renie)

2 Tbsp yeast in 1/2 cup warm water
5 cups hot water
7 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 Tbsp salt
5-6 cups additional flour

1. Sprinkle yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Do not stir.
2. Combine 5 cups hot water and 7 cups flour in Bosch bowl and mix on low speed. Combine oil, salt, & honey in a separate bowl.
3. Add to mixer and Continue to mix until well blended.
4. Yeast should be on top of water. Add to mixer and beat thoroughly.
5. Add 5-6 more cups of flour. Let dough knead on low for 10 minutes.
6. Grease & flour bread pans. Oil hands and counter and move dough from mixer 1/4 of the amount at a time.. Dough will be a little sticky. Form loaves. Let bread rise, but not more the 1/3 in bulk. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Sweet Rolls: Pat out desired amount of basic bread recipe to 1/2" thickness. Sprinkle cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and nuts. Roll up and slice 1" thick in muffin tins. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Glaze.

Christmas Bread

(Aunt Wendy)

I use the OUT OF THIS WORLD BREAD.
 
Mix and let the bread dough rise. 
 
Divide the dough into loaf size pieces. 
 
Knead and roll dough out flat.
 
Spread a layer of softened butter on dough, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter.
 
Roll the dough up into a fat cinnamon role loaf and place into a greased loaf pan.
 
Let rise again.
 
Bake in a 350 oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. Brush butter over the baked loaves. 

Grandma M's Rolls - Out of This World Recipe

2 pkgs yeast + 1/4 cup warm water

3 eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup warm water

4 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp salt

Soften yeast in the 1/4 cup warm water. Combine eggs, shortening, sugar, softened yeast, and 2 1/2 cups flour. Mix with water and remaining flour to make a soft dough. Cover and allow to raise until double, punch down and place covered in fridge overnight. 3 hours before baking roll out as desired. Form into rolls and let rise. Bake in 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Fabulous French Bread

(Amie) 2 1/2 cups very warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
6 cups flour, stirred and measured
2 Tbsp yeast

In large bowl, pour water, sugar, salt, oil, half of the flour, and yeast. Beat vigorously 2-3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour until completely mixed in, leaving spoon in heavy batter.

Let dough rest 10 minutes, then stir down. Repeat this step until dough has been stirred down five times.

Turn onto floured board. Knead only enough to coat so it can be handled. Divide in half and roll each into 9 x 12 inches. Roll up from long side. Pinch edge to seal. Arrange lengthwise on a cookie sheet. Cover lightly and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Cut 3 gashes at an angle on top then brush with slightly beaten egg. Bake immediately at 400 degrees 25-30 minutes until brown. Cool on racks.

Artisan Bread

(Amie, via Michelle)
Ingredients:
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
• 2 tsp chopped lemon zest (optional)
• White Cornmeal as needed

(Sometimes I use the rosemary and lemon and sometimes I don't, it is excellent both ways.)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, rosemary and zest. Add 2 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at warm room temperature (about 70°F) until the surface is dotted with bubbles, 12 to 18 hours. No kneading and barley any stirring. It literally takes less than five minutes to get the dough started.

(after rising overnight)

After 12 to 18 hours place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough over onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. I generally make the dough before going to bed and then it is ready whenever I am the next day.
Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel, preferably a flour sack towel (not terry cloth), with cornmeal. Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise until the dough is more than double in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.
At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a cast-iron pot in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up, into the pot, it isn't very pretty. Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake for 45-50 minutes. If it is not as brown as you would like uncover it and cook a few more minutes. I find it to be pretty forgiving on the cooking time.
Transfer the pot to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, turn the pot on its side and gently turn the bread; it will release easily. Cool completely. The bread is better after resting and cooling.