Ezekiel Bread

This bread is hands down one of my new favorites! It is so dense and moist - it goes awesome with soups or just as a slice of bread or toast with a meal! It makes a lot, so there is always an extra loaf or two to store in the freezer or to share with someone else... I love it so much that I have started keeping the random ingredients on hand all the time so that I can whip up a batch whenever I feel like it!

Ezekiel Bread
(recipe found in Taste of Home)

3 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
5 cups warm water (110 to 115) divided
1 tablespoon plus 2/3 cup honey, divided
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
6-8 cups bread flour

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon honey. Add the remaining water and honey, the oil, sugar, salt, whole wheat flour, wheat germ and 3 cups bread flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (I usually end up adding flour as I am going during the kneading process, to keep it from sticking.) Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Shape into 4 loaves. Place in 9x5x3 inch loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.