Three Grain Bread

This bread is deliciously soft and pliable, and tasts so yummy with some honey butter or jam. It is fantastic fresh from the oven. And I love how it is so easy to make, too. It only rises for 45 minutes, and then 30 minutes. What a snap! One note: Unlike the whole wheat bread I've posted before, this doesn't keep quite as well. The first day it is absolutely fantastic and soft, like I mentioned, but the next day it will be considerably drier. I sliced some of it and put it in the freezer after it cooled, like I always do with my whole wheat bread, and it still didn't keep that moist texture for more than a few days. So this is my advice: Enjoy a loaf with your family the day you bake it, put some slices in the freezer to enjoy the next couple of days (when you defrost it for a few seconds, it will be soft just like it was fresh), and then give the remaining loaves away to neighbors and friends after you take them out of the oven. It's always fun to bring over something freshly baked to neighbors. :)

When I make this, I use two regular sized bread pans and two medium sized bread pans, so it makes four loaves for me. Thanks to Dede Dalton who shared this recipe in a baking class she demonstrated for our church.

Three Grain Bread

submitted by Erin

3 ½ c . warm water

3 T. yeast

½ c. sugar

1/3 c. oil, or melted butter or margarine, or applesauce

1 T. salt

2/3 c. ground flax

2/3 c. oats (oatmeal)

5 c. whole wheat flour

2-3 c. bread flour (white)

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, oil, salt, flax, oatmeal, and 5 cups of whole wheat flour. Mix very well. Then add bread flour one cup at a time until dough is soft and elastic. Let rise until double (usually about 45 minutes). Remove from bowl. Knead a few minutes (longer if you mixed by hand). Divide into three loaves. Let rise for 30 minutes, then bake at 350° for 30 minutes.