Ingredients
3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
¾ water
½ cup cracked wheat (I use the Red River cereal for the cracked wheat…has lots of grains in it)
¼ cup cornmeal
¼ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons cooking oil (I use butter for added richness)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup rolled oats
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
Directions
1.In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, cinnamon and set aside. In a medium saucepan (pot) combine milk, water, cracked wheat, cornmeal, brown sugar, oil, salt. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the yeast and let stand for five minutes.
2. Stir the yeast into the other ingredients in the pot. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed 30 seconds, scarping sides of bowl. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the whole wheat flour, the rolled oats, sunflower seeds and as much remaining all-purpose flour as you can. NOTE: If you do not have an electric mixer, you can stir ingredients together by hand.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).
4. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease two 8X4X2 inch loaf pans.
5. Shape dough into loaves by patting or rolling. Place shaped dough halves in prepared pans. Cover; let rise I a warm place until nearly double (about 30 minutes).
6. Brush tops of loaves with water; sprinkle with additional rolled oats. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove bread from pans. Cool on wire racks.
