Bread ... Bread

There was always something baking in my mother's and grandmother's kitchen. As children we enjoyed biscuits (cookies), cakes, puddings, but surprisingly, not loaves of bread. Instead we bought our weekly supply of bread from the local convent. Late afternoon a convent girl would deliver huge loaves of warm bread. We lived close to the convent so we always got our loaves first when the convent girl would come on her bicycle. We would cut huge slices of bread, slather them with butter and sprinkled with sugar ... ah, the memory can still bring a smile to my face.

St. Anthony's Convent

When I started a family of my own, I also started baking bread -- rolls, muffins, loaves. Sarah has enjoyed all kinds of homemade bread. There is nothing to beat the smell of baking wafting through the house and the taste of warm bread dripping with melted butter.

One of Sarah's favorites has always been the sweet cinnamon-raisin swirl bread below. It is so good warm from the oven or toasted a couple of days later.

Raisin Swirl Bread

6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 cup raisins

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and yeast.

2. In a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, heat milk, water and 1/4 cup butter until mixture is very warm but you can still hold your finger in it. Butter does not need to melt completely.

3. With mixer at low speed, gradually pour liquid into dry ingredients; beat until just mixed. At medium speed, beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in eggs and 1 1/2 cups flour or enough flour to make a thick batter; continuing beating 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

4. With spoon, stir in additional flour (about 3 cups) to make a soft dough.

5. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour while kneading.

6. Shape dough into a ball and place in greased large bowl, turning dough over to grease top. Cover with towel or plastic wrap; let rise in warm place , until doubled in bulk.

7. Punch down by pushing center of dough with fist, then pushing edges of dough into center. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; cut in half. Cover; let rest 15 minutes.

8. Grease two 9 x 5 loaf pans. In small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll one dough half into 14 x 9 - inch rectangle. Brush with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with half the sugar mixture and half of the raisins. Starting at narrow end, roll tightly, jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal. Press ends to seal and tuck under, Place seam side down in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with towel or plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 30 - 45 minutes or until tops are golden and loaves sound hollow when tapped with finger. Remove from pans immediately; cool on wire racks. Drizzle with confectioners' sugar glaze.

Note: You can half this recipe to make only one loaf ... I have done it many times.

My sister, Priscilla, gave me this oatmeal bread recipe several years ago and I still like it. It's wonderful on its own but it also makes great sandwich bread. You don't have to knead this bread ... just beat it with a wooden spoon! This recipe can be halved, I often make just one loaf, but there is no reason not to make two loaves and then freeze the other loaf.

Oatmeal Bread

2 cups boiling milk
1 cup regular oats (not instant)
2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
4 Tbsp. shortening
5 - 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 packets yeast
1/2 cup warm water

1. Add oatmeal to hot milk and let stand for 2 hours.

2. Dissolve yeast in warm water.

3. Place oatmeal mixture in large bowl. Add yeast, 5 cups of flour and the rest of the ingredients to the oatmeal mixture and beat with wooden spoon until well mixed. Add the other 1/2 cup of flour and mix well.

4. Flour hands and form dough into two balls. Place into greased loaf pans, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in warm place until doubled in size.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 - 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove loaves from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

6. Serve warm with honey butter. Loaves freeze well.