Farmer Boy Recipe - Carrot & Raisin Wheat Bread

This is a recipe designed for a bread machine.  If you don't have a bread machine, you can still make this, but you'll need to do all the kneading, rising, shaping and baking by hand.  Maybe I'm getting too old or maybe I'm just too tired these days, but I like to have the machine do all that work!

Originally I was making this loaf to go with my "Farmer Boy Lamb Stew" (recipe in the archives) - it was to be "Carrot Wheat Bread".  But since this week is "National Raisin Week" I thought I'd change that!

Farmer Boy Carrot & Raisin Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of warm water
• 1/2 Cup of shredded carrots
• 1 Cup of bread flour
• 2 Cups of whole wheat flour
• 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of dry milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 Tablespoons of butter
• 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
• (optional - 1/3 Cup of raisins) (chopped nuts are also an option)

Directions: Place all the ingredients into the machine in the given order & let 'er fly!

If you are doing this by hand: mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Knead the dough for about 5 - 10 minutes.  Let it rise, under a kitchen towel for about a half hour.   Punch it down and knead for about a couple minutes.  Cover it again, and let it rise again for another half hour.  Punch it down a third time, shape it into a loaf or put it into a loaf pan.  Cover it again and let it rise for another half hour.  Bake it in a 350 degree F. oven for 40 - 50 minutes. (To test to be sure it is fully baked - tap with your fingers on the top - it should sound hollow.  Some cracking on top may occur, this is normal.)  Remove from the oven & pan to a rack to cool before slicing.

This bread makes great sandwiches too!  If you'd like, you could add some cinnamon into the batter to make it like a cinnamon raisin bread; which is great for breakfast!  I like to experiment with breads - adding different ingredients to a recipe that I already like.  Baking should be fun!  Start dreaming and see what you can come up with!  If you make this recipe or add to it or change it in some way, please let us all know, by leaving a comment here.  Thanks. The Old Man in the Bib Overalls

"Those who stop dreaming never accomplish anything." Laura Ingalls Wilder