Using your wheat to make bread

Whenever I thnk about food storage, the first thing that comes to mind is buckets and buckets of wheat. I know that we all store it, but do we use it? Whole grain products have been shown to help reduce cholesterol, curb appettites, help reduce the risk of certain cancers, and help keep blood glucose levels moderate.

How much wheat should we store?

It is recommended to store 400 lbs of grains per person per year. This can be a mixture of: wheat, flour, rice, corn, oatmeal, pasta, cereal, barley, and millet. At least 65% of the grain stored should be whole grains. Wheat is an excellent choice because of it's funcuality (it can be eaten as berries, it can be ground into flour, and it can be sprouted into wheat grass) and long shelf life (30 years plus! Although it does star to lose some of it's nutritional value the longer it is stored.) I highly recommend buying both a hand wheat grinder (for emegencies) and an electric wheat grinder (for everyday use.)

Basic Bread Recipes*

Easy White Bread:

1 cup plus 2 TBS warm water

1 TBS honey or sugar (I perfer honey)

1 1/2 tsp yeast

3 cups flour

1 TBS butter or shortening (I perfer using 2TBS milled fax seed)

1 tsp salt

Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl, add the honey (barley mixing it in, you do not want the water to cool), and sprinkle the yeast on top.

While the yeast is activting, gather your ingredients. When the yeast is foamy in appearance; add the flour, butter, and salt. Mix until the dough is smooth. The dough may appear a little sticky, do not add any more flour.

Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes in a warm location (an oven that was heated to 200, and then turned off works great.)

Punch down the dough, and knead into a bread loaf. Place in a warm location and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Place in a pre-heated oven at 375 and bake for 25 minutes.

Yummy Honey Wheat Bread

1 1/4 cup warm water

2 TBS honey

2 tsp yeast

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

1/4 cup bean flour (this helps keep the bread moist, and keeps it from falling apart)

1 TBS butter or shortening (I like to use 2 TBS milled flax seed)

1 tsp salt

Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl, add the honey (barley mixing it in, you do not want the water to cool), and sprinkle the yeast on top.
While the yeast is activting, gather your ingredients. When the yeast is foamy in appearance; add the flour, butter, and salt. Mix until the dough is smooth. The dough may appear a little sticky, do not add any more flour.
Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes in a warm location (an oven that was heated to 200, and then turned off works great.)
Punch down the dough, and knead into a bread loaf. Place in a warm location and let rise for about 30 minutes.
Place in a pre-heated oven at 375 and bake for 25 minutes.

Whole Wheat Bread

1 1/4 cup warm water
2 TBS honey
2 tsp yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup bean flour (this helps keep the bread moist, and keeps it from falling apart)
1 TBS butter or shortening (I like to use 2 TBS milled flax seed)
1 tsp salt

Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl, add the honey (barley mixing it in, you do not want the water to cool), and sprinkle the yeast on top.While the yeast is activting, gather your ingredients. When the yeast is foamy in appearance; add the flour, butter, and salt. Mix until the dough is smooth. The dough may appear a little sticky, do not add any more flour. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes in a warm location (an oven that was heated to 200, and then turned off works great.)Punch down the dough, and knead into a bread loaf. Place in a warm location and let rise for about 30 minutes.Place in a pre-heated oven at 375 and bake for 25 minutes.

Variation Bread Recipes*

Rolls
Choose your favorite bread recipe.
After the first rise, knead the dough and roll into 12-14 rolls.
(Optional step: you may freeze the roll balls at this point, to use in the future.)
Place in a warm location to rise for about 30 minutes (If frozen, may need 60 minutes.)Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 for 14 minutes, when the tops are golden.


French Bread
Use the white bread recipe, omitting the butter.
Place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, mix together.
Add warm water, mix until dough is smooth.
Place in fridge for 8-48 hours.
Rise in a warm location for 30 minutes.
Knead into a bread loaf, place on a greased cookie sheet, and brush with water.
Place in a warm location and let rise for about 30 minutes. Place in a pre-heated oven at 375 and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Pita Bread

Choose either honey wheat or white bread recipe.

After second rising, knead dough into 12-14 balls.

Roll the balls into flat circles.

Bake in a preheated oven at 550 for 1 1/2 minutes (they will be puffed) then flip and bake for an additional 1 1/2 minutes.

Pizza Crust

Choose your favorite bread recipe (if using a wheat flour recipe, decrease the honey to 1 TBS)

After first rising, roll dough out into two circles.

Place the dough on greased pizza pan.

Add toppings as desired.

Bake in a pre-heated oven 425 for 9-11 minutes.

Bread Sticks

Choose your favorite bread recipe (if using a wheat flour recipe, decrease the honey to 1 TBS)
After first rising, roll dough out into two rectangles.

Slice dough into desired size of bread sticks.

Brush with butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder (sprinkle with cheese, if desired.)

Bake in a pre-heated oven 375 for 9-11 minutes.

* To not enfringe on other people's copy rights, I have only posted my personal recipes.