Bread of the Month Club

I love making bread. Early on in our marriage, my husband and I decided that we should bake our own bread instead of buying it. I honestly don't remember the last time I bought a loaf of bread. It's something that most people have the ingredients for, you just need to plan ahead because bread making does take some time. I have been baking it for our local farmers' market the last two Summers and I like to give loaves as gifts.

My sister had a beautiful, baby girl in November, but because she lives in Boston, I couldn't make her a meal or help out much. I decided to bake her a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread. I packed it up and shipped it. My brother-in-law sent me a picture with my niece and nephew eating the bread with the message, "Thanks for the bread! I want two loaves for Christmas!" That's when I got the idea for their Christmas present...

I have enrolled my sister's family in the "Bread of the Month Club." (Kind of like when Clark Griswold got a coupon for the "Jelly of the Month Club," but this will be much better.) Each month I will send them a loaf of bread or two. They can request breads if they'd like, or I will choose for them. I was thinking about having each month be a different bread, or maybe for birthday months I can send them Cinnamon Swirl bread? (There wasn't any fine print to this deal, I'm kind of making it up as I go.)

 

January is Rolled Oat Bread. This is one of my favorites and a regular bread I make for the market. It's a soft bread with a larger crumb and toasts really well. I like to do an egg white wash on the tops and sprinkle on oats. It gives the bread a nice golden color and also helps the oats stick to the top.

(In this particular package I'll also be sending a stuffed animal for my newest niece, Nora, who I mentioned earlier. I have crocheted animals for all my nieces and nephews, but I hadn't made her one yet. I've made this pattern before, for my niece Lilianna- "Fay the Flamingo" is a Lion Brand pattern. I blogged about her on my post "A Christmas Menagerie.")

 



Turn on the oven, bake some bread and share some love <3