Bread in a Bag Recipe

Alot of you have asked me for this so I thought I would pass it on. This is a recipe I got from a UW Cooperative Extension program known as, Cent$ible Nutrition. It's an amazing class that focuses on cooking healthy meals that are not only good and easy but affordable. The end of the course you get their cookbook and it's absolutely AMAZING! Here is one of my favorite and most versitile recipes:

Bread in a Bag

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 package rapid-rise yeast (I use 1 T regular yeast usually)
3T sugar
3T nonfat dry milk
1 cup hot water (125-130 degrees F)
3T canola oil
1 cup all-purpose flour (approximate)

1. Combine 1 cup of the whole-wheat flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, dry milk, and salt in a 1-gallon heavy duty freezer bag with a zipper lock. Squeeze upper part of bag to force out air. Shake and work bag with fingers to blend ingredients.
2. Add hot water and oil to dry ingredients. Re-seal bag. Mix by working bag with fingers. Add remaining whole-wheat flour; re-seal bag and mix thoroughly. Graddually add enough remaining all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough that pulls away from the bag.
3. Place dough on a floured surface; knead 2 to 4 minutes (honostly, I just put the bag on the counter and knead while its still in the bag, just have to reposition it a little every now and then), or until smooth and elastic. Cover dough (or leave in sealed bag) and let it rest for 10 minutes. Shape dough into a loaf (I have done this both in and OUT of the bag). Place in greased loaf pan and let rise 20 minutes or until double in size. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until brown.

Variations:
White-Bread - Use all-purpose flour for most or all of the whole-wheat flour
Breadsticks - Add 1/2 cup rolled wheat or other rolled grain to bag after mixing in whole-wheat flour. Gradually add enough all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough. Roll out dough in a rectangle 1/2-inch thick. Cut dough into strips 3/2-inch wide. Twist strips while placing on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F or until brown.
Cinnamon Rolls- After kneading, allow dough to rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into 12x7-inch rectable on greased surface. Spread 2 T sof-tub margarine on dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup raisins or chopped nuts, if desired. Roll up dough and seal edges. Cut into 1-inch slices. Place in greased baking pan. Cover; let rise 20-30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.
Pizza Dough- Change canola oil to olive oil. When adding the water and oil, mix in spices of your choosing such as 1 tsp oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and/or 1T grated Parmeson cheese. After kneading, all dough to rest for 10 minutes. Roll into circle or rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Add toppings of your choice. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy! Please feel free to share but make sure that University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Cent$ible Nutrition recieves credit for it! For more info on the program you can call 1-877-219-4646 or visit their website at www.uwyo.edu/centsible