Honey Oat Bran Whole Wheat Bread

So I went to the grocery today and of all things, I forgot bread.  We all know how much Nerdy-Boy loves bread (even though I won't buy him white Wonder bread anymore).  The grocery was so crowded you would have thought there was a snow storm coming.  I was not going back.  Nerdy-Boy was just going to have to deal with hot homemade bread that is good for him.  Oh the travesty of his life!

I've made this recipe, that was adapted from the Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking, a couple of times and it has never failed me.  If you haven't baked bread before, this is a great recipe to start with.  I love the fact that it calls for whole wheat flour AND oat bran and that the sweetner in it is honey and molasses.  These ingredients give this bread a very rich flavor.  I put a little rosemary butter on mine.  Tasty dee-light!

Nerdy-Boy just called me on his way home from visiting his mother in State College:

NB:  Should I stop at the store and pick-up bread?

ME:  No, honey, I baked bread.   I just took it out of the oven.

NB:  Okay, so you don't want me to stop and get the store-bought kind.

ME:  No, honey, I baked bread.  I just took it out of the oven.

NB:  Okay, then I won't stop and get the store-bought kind.

ME:  Click.

Honey Oat Bran Whole Wheat Bread
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons active dry yeats
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 cups oat bran
2 eggs
2-3 cups bread flour

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium saucepan, over a medium heat, combine the butter, milk, molasses and honey.  Warm until the butter partially melts  Stir into the whole wheat mixture.  Stir in the oats and eggs and beat the mixture for 10 minutes, gradually adding in bread flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.  (I generally use about 2 1/2 cups.)

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat.  Cover and let the dough rise in a warm draft-free place for approximately 1 1/2 hours until it is doubled.

Gently punch the dough down and divide into thirds and place into greased loaf pans.  Cover and let dough rise a second time about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.