Foolproof Whole Wheat Bread

This recipe is from my friend Janet Mollat (the food storage guru in our area:). I made it with her once and it was really good! The directions are long, but its really not hard at all. If I can do it, anyone can! This recipe yields 4 loaves of bread.

2 tbsp. yeast in 1/2 c. warm water

5 c. hot water from tap

7 c. unsifted white flour

2/3 c. honey

2/3 c. cooking oil

2 tbsp. salt

6 c. whole wheat flour

1. Sprinkle yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. DO NOT STIR.

2. Combine 5 cups hot tap water and 7 cups white flour in Bosch/Kitchenaid bowl and mix on LOW speed, while you combine oil, salt and honey in a separate bowl.

3. Add the salt, oil and honey to the mixture in the bread mixer and continue to mix until everything is well blended.

4. By this time, the yeast should have had plenty of time to brew. The yeast should be on top of the water. Add to ingredients in the mixing bowl and blend thoroughly.

5. Add 6 more cups of whole wheat flour. Let the dough knead on LOW speed for ten minutes.

6. During this time, grease four bread pans. Oil hands and the counter. Remove dough from mixer and place on oiled counter top. Divide into four equal parts. The dough will be a little sticky, but will easily form into loaves. Place in pans with folded side to bottom of pan. Watch the bread so that it does not rise more than 1/2 in bulk.

7. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes. When the bread has baked, remove immediately from the pans. For a softer crust, brush tops of loaves with butter. Cover with a kitchen towel to cool. Freeze in freezer bags whatever you don't plan on using that week.