Sometimes, I find a cookbook in the most unexpected way. The two Recipes from Minnesota with Love… cookbooks were not two I was seeking to find until a few years ago when my great aunt passed away. In her obituary, it mentioned that she helped to put these cookbooks together and I found myself wanting to find them.
First, I set about finding a recipe in the cookbooks and in an attempt to ignore my dissertation work over the weekend for a little bit (and find some treats for this week), I was looking through these two cookbooks and found three recipes I wanted to make. Each posted at some point this week, I’m starting with a recipe that was originally called Squaw Bread in the cookbook. For a number of reasons, I’m choosing to not use that name. When I first saw the recipe, I was quite surprised to see the name and was concerned about the derogatory nature of it. One need only look as far as Wikipedia to see that the term has been used for a number of years to insult First Nation peoples in the United States. In an effort to note the recipe’s name within the book, I’ve listed it, but I will refer to it as Multiflour Rye Bread. We all have a responsibility to insist the world in which we live shows dignity and respect towards others and so changing the name of this bread is an important first step.
Multiflour Rye Bread
2 c water
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/4 c honey
1/4 c raisins
1/4 c plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 c warm water
1/2 c cornmeal
2 1/2 c unbleached flour
3 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c rye flour
1/2 c dry nonfat milk
2 1/2 tsp salt
Melted butter
Cornmeal
In a blender, combine water, honey, oil, raisins, and 1/4 c brown sugar. Mix until well blended. Soften yeast in warm water with remaining 1 Tbsp brown sugar. Sift together in a large bowl 1 c flour, 2 c whole wheat flour, 1 c rye flour, nonfat milk, salt, and 1/2 c cornmeal.
Add oil and honey mixture with yeast to flour mixture. Beat with mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of bowl. Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny, about 10-12 minutes.
Place dough in lightly greased bowl, and turn to grease other side. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down; let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 4 round loaves. Place 2 loaves on each of 2 lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool on racks. While still hot, brush with melted butter.
I will make crafts and cook better 