In today’s world we face new stressors every day. When I’m stressed, I do several things. Sometimes I take a walk, pray, or read a good book.

Another stress reliever is to bake. Sunday after church, I baked ten loaves of whole wheat bread, three loaves of banana bread, and a pan of rolls. Today, I’ll share my recipe for whole wheat bread with you if you’d like to try my relaxer. Since bread dough has to be punched (kneaded) it’s a harmless way to relieve stress. If you don’t want to bake nine loaves, just reduce the recipe to a third.

Whole Wheat Bread

3 packages or 3 tablespoons yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
10 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons salt
3/4 cups olive oil
9-10 cups whole wheat flour
15 cups unbleached white flour 

Dissolve the yeast in the 3/4 cup water.

Add 10 cups water, brown sugar, salt, and olive oil, to the softened yeast.

Add the unbleached white flour a few cups at a time.

Knead the dough until it is soft and smooth as a baby’s bottom. The dough should no longer be sticky. (When you’ve added enough flour the bread turns out soft.)

Cover and let rise about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down.

Shape into 8 or 9 loaves and spray the loaf tops with cooking spray. This helps brown the crust.

Let the loaves rise again in the bread pans for about 1 1/4 hours until double.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Take the bread out of the oven when the loaf sounds hollow when you knock on it.

Rub each hot cooked loaf with butter while it’s still hot in the pan to keep the crust from crumbling when it’s sliced. This also helps to make a softer crust.

Let the loaves cool in pans and then slice (if you can resist eating it hot with butter.)

Place in zip-loc bags when they’re cool and freeze.

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