Amy's Mom's Whole Wheat Bread

Our friend Julia asked for the recipe, so I figured I'd post it here in case anyone else wants it. The great thing about this is that it's super quick and easy, plus it's really yummy.

Combine:
1/2 C. warm water
1 TBSP honey
2 TBSP yeast
and let it get all nice and frothy while you do the next step.

Combine:
5 C. hot water (heat it in a pan on the stove until it steams)
2 TBSP salt
1/2 C. honey
2/3 C. oil (we used safflower)

Then mix in about 11 or 12 C. whole wheat flour and add the yeast mixture. Keep adding flour until it's sticky, but pulls easily off your fingers and makes a ball on the dough hook.

Then "knead" it in the KitchenAid mixer for ten minutes on low. Divide the dough into four loaves and put them in greased bread pans. Cover them with a dish towel and put them on top of the stove. Turn the oven to 350* and let the dough rise on the stove top 30-45 minutes until it's double in size. Bake it for 40-45 minutes at 350*. Spread butter over the hot crust when it comes out of the oven. Turn them onto racks to cool immediately so the crust doesn't get soggy in the pan.

Note on temp: I think if UT and other high altitude places you do something like put it in at 425* for the first ten minutes and then lower it to 350. But don't quote me on that.... I know it's something like that; you might have to fool with it a bit to get it right.

PS My friend Kim tried this and didn't have much luck, but mainly because I forgot to mention a few things. Here's an excerpt from the email I just wrote her:
Total bummer about the bread. Kind of my fault though, I should have mentioned a few things: after I mixed all the ingredients and added about ten cups of flour, I divided the dough in half and added more flour to each half because my kitchenAid won't hold it all either:( I totally wish I'd gotten the bigger one too; I remember debating it and getting the smaller one; what was I thinking?! And, I should have mentioned that you put the yeast mixture in last after mixing the rest of it a whole bunch until it stops steaming and the kitchenAid bowl is warm, but not so hot that it's uncomfortable to hold your hand on it. Sometimes I also keep the top of the kitchenAid unlocked and hold the top up a little as it mixes so the dough doesn't creep up. And I do have to stop it and push the dough down quite often. Give it another try because it really is a great recipe to have in your arsenal. I whipped some up before dinner the other night; it hardly takes any time!