On a "Roll" (pun intended, har har)

now that i've discovered the wonders of the bread-machine, i'm on a mission to minimize my consumption of store-bought sliced bread. we'll see how long this lasts. in the meantime, here's the 100% whole wheat bread recipe that's become my staple.

Classic 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
(adapted from KAF)

**note: i cut the original recipe in half every time to make a small loaf that lasts about 4 days.

3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons molasses
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup bread flour
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons active dry yeast
optional: 1/4 cup dry nuts/seeds/fruits (if you want to jazz it up a bit)

1. Proof yeast with some of the warm water and a dash of sugar. Gently mix together all ingredients (no need to stir really well at this point). Let rest, covered for about 20 min. (**Note- still do this if using bread machine. Just let it sit in there before starting the dough cycle).

2. Then, knead the dough until fairly smooth (about 10-15 min or so). Remember, whole wheat dough is not as soft as regular all-purpose flour. **Note: if using bread machine, set on dough cycle and skip to step 4.

3. Cover dough and allow to rise for 1-2 hrs, until puffy and double in size.

4. Gently deflate the dough, press into a rectangle, and roll up dough to form a loaf, tucking in the edges. Place in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch bread pan (**Note: because my loaf is smaller, I put a placeholder in about 1/4 of the pan- so that my slices are still normal height). Cover the pan with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap and allow bread to rise for about 1 hour, until dough crowns above pan.

5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 30 min. Rotate 180 degrees and bake another 10-15 minutes.