Simple Brown Bread

I am so loving the chill in the air. I like to open all the windows in the house and wrap up in a sweater and fuzzy slippers and putter about the house doing little things on days like this. Smelling bread baking in this kind of air is so comforting. I found this really basic recipe in the October Cooking Light magazine. The issue had a whole section devoted to recipes from the American Shaker community from the 1800s....really simple, wholesome food. So I adapted this one for Steamed Brown Bread.

Steamed Brown Bread

Just over one cup of whole wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, cornmeal, raisins, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, molasses, honey, and butter. Add to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Divide batter evenly between 2 (8-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Tightly cover each pan with foil. Place pans in a 13 x 9–inch baking pan. Add boiling water to a depth of 1 inch. Cover larger pan with foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. (Top of bread will feel slightly sticky.) Remove pans from water. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans; cool completely.

Enjoy with a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea with milk, and some good friends. Delicious.