Holiday Stuffing Bread

Warning: Do not attempt to eat this bread fresh out of the oven. It smells delicious, I know...but it is not meant for straight up consumption.

If you don't trust me, ask my husband. He insists on trying everything as soon as it comes out of the oven.




STUFFING BREAD
1.25 cups water (between 70*F and 80*F)
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3.5 cups bread flour
2.25 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon room temperature butter
1 tablespoon white sugar*Electric hand mixer with dough hooks if you are weak like I am, large metal bowl, bread tins


(Herb it up) **I have come to a balance with the spices I put in my stuffing. Customize to your own recipes!
3 teaspoons organic dried minced onion
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
.5 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon thyme


Mix together the warm water and yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes. It should start foamy.

In the metal bowl add bread flour, sugar, salt, and herbs. Mix.

Add egg, water/yeast, and butter. Mix with electric mixer until it's ready to go into the oven.

BUT WAIT! HOW CAN I TELL IF I'M DONE KNEADING? I THOUGHT YOU WERE TERRIBLE AT YEAST-RELATED RECIPES. WHY SHOULD I TRUST YOU?!
'Cus it's super simple. Poke it! If it bounces back, it's ready. If it stays indented, keep on kneading! I use a hand mixer because when I do it by hand it takes me about half an hour.

Stick the dough in a clean bowl. Cover with a damp cloth. Wait about an hour. Form a loaf and put in the greased bread tins. Wait an hour. Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. It's going to smell amazing! When it has cooled enough not to burn your hands, pull out two cookie sheets. Slice and dice the bread until it's stuffing sized (I prefer medium sized chunks myself). Lay out on the cookie sheets and spray with cooking spray. Stick the pans in the now turned off oven and let them dry out.

Remember - DON'T EAT IT! You will regret it. Believe me.