Ma's Classic Brown Bread

Now, let me ask you. Who doesn't enjoy a fresh, delicious, fluffy and wholesome slice of brown bread from time to time? I mean, yeah, white bread is good and all, whole wheat... not too bad either. But listen, this isn't your typical brown bread recipe you Google a day or two before Mom and Dad are expected to show up for a baked beans lunch and you look to impress them with a nice side of BB, no. This recipe is a special one to me and I asked for it because I couldn't go any longer without knowing how to make this exact brown bread. My good friend's mother shared this recipe with me after plenty of nagging, and her father passed it down to her. Her father worked for the Canadian Navy as the lead cook on the ship, or what he liked to be called the "nautical chef of the sea." The reason it is a unique recipe is because it's quick and the taste is next to none. Firstly, the brown bread only takes a couple hours to bake, where typically it can be a day or two ordeal while we anxiously wait as drool runs down the corner of our mouth. Second, the taste is amazing. I wouldn't lie about that. Back in the day as the crew of seaman worked hand over fist hard all day and faced the everyday struggles out at sea, they worked up quite a hunger and disappointment at lunchtime was no option. So listen, although you won't be enjoying this meal at sea after a hard day's work, it still won't disappoint and the last thing you will do is disappoint your Mom and Dad when they arrive for baked beans and brown bread. Try it and enjoy!

Brown Bread Recipe - 3 loaves

1. Boil 3 cups of water.

2. Add the following to the bowl.

• 1 1/4 cup of oatmeal
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 cup of molasses

3. Add boiling water to bowl (stir) & let soak for 20 minutes.

4. After 10 minutes prepare yeast in a separate bowl.

• Add 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Add 250 ml of warm water & stir
• Add 2 tablespoons of yeast
• Stir & let rise for about 10 minutes

5. Add yeast mixture to bowl (from step 2) and stir.

6. Begin to lightly add flour to the mixture and sides of the bowl. Then using your hands, pull the dough mixture to the middle of the bowl from the sides; a donut shape will begin to form.

7. Continue to pull the dough to the middle with your fingers (still forming donut shape) while still adding flour to the sides of the bowl. Continue to do this until the bread is no longer sticky.

8. Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and put on a table surface.

9. Clean the bowl with water, then grease the inside of the bowl with butter.

10. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover.

11. Let the covered dough rise for about 40 - 45 minutes.

12. Grease bread pans and lightly add flour.

13. Break the dough into 3 separate sections and curl the dough under to form loaves.

14. Place the loaves in greased pans seam-side down and press down lightly to mold to the shape of the pan and cover loosely with a plastic bag.

15. Place in fridge and let rise for 40 - 45 minutes.

16. Prepare oven at 375 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

17. Remove loaves from pans after baking and let the bread cool down completely.

18. Bon Appétit!!