Honey Wheat Bread

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I've been trying to bake all of our bread lately, to save money and all, but it's making my butt huge because it is just so tasty!!  This is the first recipe I've tried and we both just love it.  Don't start this recipe too late in the day, though, as it is a process of several rising stages.  But It is soooooooo worth it!!

• 3 cups warm water )
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup honey
• 5 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 
  
• In a large bowl (I used a KitchenAid), mix warm water and yeast, then 5 cups white flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.  Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. If using a KitchenAid, gradually add in 1/2-1 cup wheat flour until it just pulls away from the edge of the bowl, but is still sticky to the touch.  Pour a little olive oil on your hands and grease up the outside of the dough and edge of the bowl so that it doesn't stick to the bowl when it is rising.  If you're not using a KitchenAid, just flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch, then place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled (I put it in the preheated oven and then immediately turned the oven off and let it rise as the oven was cooling off.  It speeds up the process a little to about 3 hours).  Punch down, and divide into 2 or 3 loaves (I did 2 so the slices would be bigger). Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch (just put it back in the cooled oven, it took about 1.5 hours).  Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not over-bake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.  To freeze extra loaves, cut loaf into desired slices and wrap the loaf in tinfoil.  Put it in a freezer storage bag and freeze.

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