Basic Brown Bread

It's been a while.
Anyways, I have decided it is high time I posted what I consider an essential bread recipe. This is sentiment is especially fueled by my recent visit home.
I was raised on regular store brought bread like most people, however, when I was engaged my mother-in-law opened my eyes to what real wheat bread actually taste like. Ever since (put in motion mainly by my husband's intolerance for preservatives and his hatred of corn syrup) this recipe has been the bread staple in my home. It didn't take long for me to become so used to good bread that I realized how disgusting most store bought wheat bread tastes. Also, now knowing what belongs in bread, I was shocked to see how much junk and filler is put in the general store bread (I know this is sounding harsh, but its still true). Which brings me to my visit to my family. When we came to stay at my mom's, she knowing my picky-ness with bread took me to Walmart to 'have my pick.' Knowing the chances of me finding a cheap good wheat bread there, to be next to zero, I asked if there was a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods nearby (they both actually have really good 100% wheat bread for about $2). She answered no; it was Walmart or nothing. When I saw the bread isle, a faint flicker of hope entered. The sandwich bread isle was HUGE! So I proceeded to go down checking each loaf with the 'basic ingredient's test' (which is are the ingredients something I would use in my bread). The whole isle was all the same!!! reconsideration raisin juice, corn syrup, cheep flour, sodium something or other (not salt), and phosphorus bla-blah. If it was a really expensive loaf (like five dollars) it would use sugar or 'cane juice' instead of corn syrup, but otherwise the ingredients were the same, except the more expensive brands also put oats on the top of the bread so it looks healthy. Anyways, I was disgusted and my son was anxious to get into mischief, so with a last desperate look at the store bakery bread I ended-up leaving empty handed.
Really, though, you should go down a bread isle look at the ingredients sometime.

Now to the recipe. I highly recommend if you have never made bread before, or its been a really long time, you find someone who makes good bread to teach you. Testing the bread for elasticity and learning how to kneed it, is a lot easier to do with an expert showing you. Also, the bread keeps really well frozen, so I recommend making a lot (I make 4 loafs at a time) and freeze the ones you wont eat that week. Also store the bread you are using in the fridge and it will last longer.

(this makes 2 loafs)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 ½ cups water
4-6 cups hard red wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour (or hi-gluten flour)
1 tablespoon salt
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup honey
a touch of molasses

In a large mixing bowl dissolve yeast in one cup of warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add honey, oil, 4 cups wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, the rest of the water and salt; mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Grease two 8x4 inch bread pans (if you have lecithin that makes a really good anti-sicking agent). Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into the pans. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Once risen, Bake for 20 minutes.