~EASIEST AND BEST BREAD & CHILI EVER~

In my previous home, I had a stove that looked just like this one..only it was a new stove, I miss it, the lady that bought the house insisted on buying it too!

Well, as promised, here are the recipes for Bread and Chili...you have got to try them..SO good!

But first a bit of a poem about the joys and the warmth bread making brings into a home.

"Childhood Memories"

My memory of the home I knew,
Where love and joy were always spread,
And I recall that special day
When Mother baked out daily bread.
We children would all gather 'round
And help her knead and shape the dough.
The odor of those loaves
Is something every child should know.
A mothers life in many ways is different now,
But, oh, I think so much is missing,
For any child who's never sat and smelled
Bread baking in the kitchen.

My husband said the other day..."Honey, could you make some homemade bread?" At first I thought about saying what this gal said...but then he had asked so nicely...so I did. I'm always glad when I do..I love to share with a neighbor, taking a gift of home baked bread is the best gift ever!

Ok...I'm now ready to go at it...got my diet Pepsi with lemon...let's roll!

I have used this mixer for 27 years now...it has mixed thousands of batches of cookies and bread as I raised my 8 children. Oh how I loved to have to have hot bread or warm cookies ready for my kids when they got home from school!

This is the simplest, quickest, easiest, most delicious bread recipe ever! I started at age 12 making bread, my mom taught me to mix it all up in a BIG bowl..oh, the tired arms after kneading! With a mixer now, it is so much easier.

~The water, salt, oil, honey, and yeast mixture~

~2 eggs are optional, but I always add them~

~Adding the flour for what ever kind of bread you want~

~Watch as you add the flour..toward the end..the dough "leaves" the side of the mix. bowl~

~All done after 10 min. of kneading~

~Out of the mixture and ready to be divided up~

~The big ball divided into four loaves~

~All raised and ready to go into the oven~

~This recipe makes 4 nice big loaves of bread, I made half white/wheat today~

I added raisins to mine...we love it this way~

I love a big thick slice with butter & jam...or anything you can think of to put on top!

~Warm bread, homemade jam and a cold glass of milk...nothing like it!~

~ Whole Wheat Bread~
(take out of the fridge; 4 T. dry yeast and 2 eggs..to come to room temp.)
In mixing bowl pour:
5 Cups hot tap water
2 T. salt
2/3 Cup of oil
2/3 cup of honey
The 4 T. dry yeast
Then add the 2 eggs
Mix in your flour...

(for "all" wheat bread, you'll add 11 1/2 cups wheat flour)
(for "all" White bread, add 12 cups white four)
(for 1/2 Wheat & 1/2 White bread, add 9 1/2 cups Wheat flour & 3 1/2 cups White flour)

(important tip)...Add the flour "until" the dough "leaves" the sides of the mixing bowl.
After the flour is all mixed in, leave the machine to knead it for..10 minutes...

Pour a pool of oil on your counter top,
Pull the dough out, with oiled hands, push all the dough into a big ball.
Cut that ball into 4 pieces...shape each piece into a loaf, place in Pam-sprayed pans.

Set the 4 pans of dough on top of the stove, cover with thin kitchen towel...
Turn oven on to 350*....Let bread raise for about 35 minutes, until it's about 1 1/2 inches above side of pan.
Place them in the oven..set the timer for 35 minutes.
When done, take them out, place each loaf on the cooling rack, slightly butter the tops..let cool.
(You can add raisins, sunflower seed etc. to this bread)


This bread is so awesome, perfectly crusty on top, soft and tender inside, wonderful texture, so tasty and filling, I could live on it alone!
It only takes 90 minutes from start to finish and makes 4 big loaves of the most delicious bread ever!
Now the Chili....

~TEN MINUTE CHILI~

Brown 2 pounds of hamburger...with 1 onion, chopped up...salt & pepper

Sprinkle 1 package Chili seasoning packet, (whatever strength you choose) over hamburger mixture. Then add; 1/2 cup flour..stir in.

Now add in;

2 small (8oz.) Tomato Sauce

3 cans small Red Kidney, Chili beans...with the juice

1 bottle or 28 oz. Tomato's

Now add 2 or 3 handful's of Brown Sugar

Simmer all for however long or short a time as you want. Serve with a dab of Sour Cream and a handful of grated cheese on top. (Can garnish with chopped onion)

Every time I have served this to a group, people want to know what I did to make it so different and so good...Can you guess?

The secret is the Brown Sugar...it darkens the Chili and makes it so good with the spicy & sweet flavor combination coming through.
Enjoy it! It's that time of year to serve Chili at any gathering.

I hope you'll really try these recipes, I know that you will love them! They are so good you'll go to them every time. I love recipes that are really good and really easy, and both of these are. Enjoy, and let me know how yours turned out, will you?

~~~

Love to all my sweet blogging sisters out there in the world...my new friends, you have renewed my hope and faith, that there really are so many wonderful women in this world, women who share my love for all things good and true.
Love to you all...please let me know how these recipes turn out for you will you? I'm sure you'll love them and go to them often, especially at this time of the year. Enjoy..Love Julie :D