SQUAW BREAD - BEAUTIFUL AND DELECTABLE

Another of our favorite family recipes for bread is a recipe my mother worked up several years ago for Squaw bread.  She took a recipe that came in my daughters bread machine, and fine-tuned it and adapted it for our bread making needs.  It is my favorite, with the rye bread coming in a close second.  This dough, which has rye flour, whole wheat flour, and white flour, is sweetened with brown sugar and honey.  I make it in rounds, and it's easy to get a perfect, round loaf with this fun-to-work-with dough.  The aroma is wonderful as it bakes, and I don't think there is another bread that I like better toasted with homemade freezer jam on!  It is also unequaled with albacore, lettuce and dill pickle, or melted cheese!  Just thinking about it makes my mouth water!  I've just made my traditional Christmas-baking loaves of rye, squaw, and white breads for all of us to enjoy during the holidays--something I not only look forward to making, but the family can hardly wait as well!   These loaves make an especially nice gift at Christmas, and, as with all breads I make, freeze extremely well, for several months (although they never last that long!)  I hope you try this wonderful recipe--you won't be disappointed!

SQUAW BREAD

5  Cups water

2 Tablespoons yeast

1/2 Cup honey

1 Cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 Cup oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt

4 Cups whole wheat flour

3 Cups rye flour

7 Cups white flour (give-or-take)

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 Cup of the water.  Let work.  Meanwhile, add the rest of the water, honey, oil, brown sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl or bread mixer.  Mix.  Add the whole wheat and rye flours.  Mix well.  Add softened yeast.  Mix.  Add white flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is soft, but not sticky.  Knead well.  Let rise for 1 hour.  Punch down, and divide into 6 balls, forming nice, round balls.  Place balls on big school cookie sheets, three to a sheet, as far apart as possible.  I put one in the middle on one side, then the other two on opposite sides along the sides of the sheet.  Cover and let rise for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  Bake at 350 for 36 minutes, or until nicely browned.  HINT:  You may bake both pans at once.  Raise the top shelf in your oven and put in both pans.  Halfway through the baking time,  trade places with the cookie sheets and finish baking.  After baking, remove from sheets and cool on racks.  Serve hot out-of-the-oven, warm, room temperature, or keeps well  in the refrigerator.  Great to freeze!  NOTE:  I always add 1 Tablespoon of sugar to the yeast I have softening in all my breads--it makes it "work" faster.