Homemade bread....no eggs, no milk!

While it IS possible to purchase bread without eggs and milk product {Dave's Killer Bread}, it's also possible to go broke doing it! My kids go through A LOT of bread {oh those beloved pb&j sandwiches} and that's why I've been making my own. A few years ago friend gave me a recipe her mother and grandmother have used for years and I was thrilled to find {everybody now} no eggs or milk in the ingredient list....woohoo! I've made some pretty substantial changes to the recipe to make it easier for me to work with and to fit my families needs. Anybody interested?....okay, okay here it is:

JVW Bread

1 1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp. yeast

1/3 c. agave nectar

1/3 c. olive oil

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed

4-6 cups wheat flour mix {1:1 ratio whole white wheat flour {whole wheat pastry flour} to bread flour}...I find the 4 cups to be a sufficient amount

bread flour for dusting {kneading}

Place water, yeast and about a tablespoon of the 1/3 cup agave nectar in the bowl of an electric mixer {I've got a KitchenAid that I LOVE and unfortunately have found myself in some pretty heated discussions about KitchenAid vs. Bosch} and let the yeast 'bloom'....um it's a fancy bread making term for bubble.

Next, while the mixer is on and with the paddle attachment {yes, I know that there is a fancy hook attachment for making bread....be patient, it's coming} add the remaining agave nectar, olive oil, and salt. Next add about 2 cups of the flour 1/2 cup at a time. Once it's mixed in add the ground flaxseed.

{here it is!} Remove the paddle attachment and attach the fancy hook attachment. Add just enough of the remaining flour mix JUST until the dough is no longer clinging to the side of the bowl and is no longer tacky to the touch {do not add too much flour as this would lend a dense bread}.

Remove bread from bowl onto floured surface and knead by hand {I just can't let the machine take this step away from me} for about 10 minutes {with practice you'll know when the bread is ready to rise, you'll have an elastic dough that is easy to work with}. Place dough in a well oiled container, {I like Alton Brown's idea for a container} and cover; let rise until doubled.

Once doubled place dough on counter, flatten and fold into 1/3's, rotating and folding 2 to 3 times. Roll into a log and place into desired loaf pans. Bake at 350̊  making sure to cover if top begins to brown too much for 25 minutes....ummm, I don't think I bake mine for the full 25 minutes. I bake it until I start to really smell the bread, then I cover it and bake it a bit longer. Every oven is different and the first time I made this bread in my NOW oven {piece of junk} it was almost burnt on the outside and raw on the inside in 15 minutes! Covering with foil is a MUST if you oven is ANYTHING like mine and who knows maybe I do end up baking for the full 25, I just know that once that timer is set I feel like I have been limited {silly I know}. Just experiment with the time anywhere between 15-25 minutes would work I'm sure.

Cool on a wire rack and slice into desired thickness...mmm, doesn't it look SO good! IT IS!

Enjoy!