How can it not feel like home with "home"-made bread?

There is something about the changing of seasons that really makes you miss home... Maybe it's the fact that I didn't want to spring clean MY home. But seriously, with the warming weather breaking through (and my tomato plants breaking through their warm soil home!), you can't say that you don't think of springs past. The springs filled with playing on swing-sets, and finally being able to take off that light jacket so you can swing uninhibited. When your biggest stress was how far could you bike ride and still make it back in time for dinner. Yep, it is those times I'm missing.

Yay for baby tomato plants and herbs!!

In the kitchen, my favorite spring time memories (that always extend into summer as well) are the smells of mom canning her strawberry jam and apple butter. Thinking about the jam and butter, I remembered how once I ate half a loaf of home-made bread and a whole jar of strawberry jam in one sitting. Then it came to me: make some home-made bread to feel more at home this spring.

Well, I kinda did more than just make a loaf of homemade bread. I made 2 loaves of cinnamon raisin bread and a loaf of honey wheat... and (since there was a sale on strawberries) a strawberry-apple galette.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to grab a picture of my goodies. Time for me to eat my words... if Ty is sitting on the couch watching me bake and he doesn't immediately jump up to ask for a bite when it comes out of the oven, I start to question why. Immediately, I run to him and make him try my baked good with me and ask tons of questions about the taste, texture, and why he wasn't waiting for it to come out of the oven with me. Obsessive... yes. But, that's what you get for being an over-analytical medical student. And for some reason, he tolerates my crazy.

Anyway, by the time I grabbed my camera, half the galette was gone and my bread was in the toaster with butter and apple butter standing by to be spread on it. I'd say that the recipes were a success!  So, I'll only share one recipe for now, and the others shortly to follow. I think everyone knows how divinely tempting the swirls of cinnamon-raisin bread can be (and far be it from me to tempt you!). At any rate, at least I have an excuse to remake bread. And who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to revisit home and those elusive spring days of swings and bike rides.

Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

-1 pkg instant yeast
-1 c. warm milk (110F-115F)
-3 1/2 c. flour
-4 T butter, room temperature
-1/4 c. sugar
-1 egg
-1 1/2 t. salt
-1 1/2 t. cinnamon
-3/4 c. raisins

Filling:
-3/4 c. sugar
-1 T ground cinnamon

-1 egg, lightly beaten

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and the milk. Let bloom for at least 10 minutes. In stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Add the yeast/milk, butter, and egg. Dough should start to pull away from sides of the bowl. Switch to dough hook. Add in raisins, and knead dough in stand mixer for 5-6 minutes, or until springs (ha there's that word again!) back. Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and let rise until doubled in bulk... about an hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat out the dough into a large circle. Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter, turn dough 90 degrees and fold in thirds again. Let rise again for 30 minutes. Meanwhile make your filling by combining the sugar and cinnamon (if its a dry day, add a little smidge of water)

turn dough out onto that lightly floured surface again. Pat into a rectangle about 8"x11". Spread filling out leaving a 1/2" border on all sides. Fold the 11" sides in about 1/2". This fold creates a buffer so no filling will ooze out during baking. Then, roll the dough beginning at the 8" end. Pinch the dough together to seal the edge, and transfer to well greased loaf pan. Let rise another 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 425F.

Bake bread for 45 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil half way through baking. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. Wrap in a dry, clean towel and let finish cooling on a wire rack. Slice and Enjoy!