Busy Bread Baking

We are busy people! Too many ducks to keep in a row. Too many balls to juggle, fires to put out and hats to wear.

Too many irons in the fire!

In this post, I hope to help you dismantle the overwhelm of homemade bread making by offering tips from those busiest among us: Mothers!

Bread. Butter. Bible.

These are keys to a well and whole life!

Bread: Real Food

a. Grain and Other God-Made Foods
b. Nutrient Dense Recipes

Butter: Real Home

a. How, What, Where, When and Why of Natural Living
b. Matters of the Heart and Homemaking (where we slather on love as generously as butter on toast!)

Bible: Real Life

a. Bible Study Relating to Food
b. Health, Wellness and Nutrition Ideas

Today’s post is FUN and fits the category, “Butter: Real Home”!

If you’ve ever thought, “How could I possibly, if ever in a million years, pull off grinding my own grain and baking for my family? The grinding, kneading, rising…are you kidding!? I have one and a half jobs, a husband, a potty trainer and a second grader, a college freshman (plus all his hungry friends), boot camp, choir practice, soccer games, three cats, one messy dog and a goldfish…and, I HOMESCHOOL!”

Loud and clear; I hear ya! This post’s for YOU!

Birds of a feather

With the revival of homemade food preparation, especially bread, it was easy to connect with a few likeminded friends who grind fresh flour. They are a sweet, family centered smattering of ladies with varying walks of life – some work outside the home, some don’t, some are in full-time ministry, some homeschool, most are blessed with up to a boisterous six children underfoot – yet each recognize varying benefits in homemade baked goods!

I polled them with two questions and present you their replies!  Hope they open up a world of ideas as to how you – yes, YOU – CAN incorporate bread making into your home, life and family!

How do you incorporate bread making into your busy life?

• “I incorporate it into our homeschool. I have the kids measure ingredients and talk about what makes the bread rise, and so forth. They will also help me knead the bread. It’s a great time to build sweet memories. They are also very proud to have helped make something we eat.”
• “Once I got the basics of home milling down, I taught my husband and big kids how to do it!”
• “I sometimes also make it (bread dough) in the evening and pop it into the fridge. Then, I’ll let it rise the next morning. We’ll have fresh bread by lunch time.”
• “For our family of eight, having a bread maker is the big factor in making it (regular homemade bread making) work. The bread maker allows us to put everything into it at night. We set the timer on the machine and have fresh bread early the next morning. Or, I can do the same thing in the morning so we have fresh bread ready for dinner!”
• “On the weekend, I have a marathon baking day where I’ll make two or three different recipes and freeze them for use throughout the work week.”
• “Anytime I make sandwich bread, I quadruple the batch and freeze extra loaves. Bread freezes really well.”
• “A helpful thing to do is memorize a recipe so I, or one of the older children, can whip up something super fast. I taught my daughter to memorize and make a double batch of muffins and she’s become an enthusiastic help, as well.”

What benefits have you noticed by home milling and baking homemade bread?

• “Home milling has caused all the kids to eat better food all around.”
• “Milling (grain into flour) is just part of the process of making almost every baked good. Its only an extra five minutes to grind.”
• “I think of milling (grain) like this…I spend five to ten minutes milling. Or, I spend extra money at the grocery store.”
• “Milling is worth it because it helps save on groceries. Our kids don’t eat as much bread because it’s so filling. Also, MY HEALTH IS WORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT!”
• “The health benefits are undeniable!”
• “All of the family thoroughly enjoys the fresh milled treats and eats that we make and that really keeps us going and staying committed.”
•  “It has really been a blessing to our family to be able to do this together!”

“I’m certain anyone can add home-milled bread making to their life once they have a vision for it and understand how important it is to put good food in our bodies. I really feel like I was able to take back the responsibility for feeding my family well by having the opportunity to mill at home.” 

And with those insightful words from a working mother of six children, we close.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

With love and butter,

Jessica

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8 NASB