By Jessica Honigford
Community Post
Minster third graders had the opportunity to make bread and learn about the history of Thanksgiving in the process last week.

The students participate in the 4-H program Breads of Harvest.  Each third grade class at Minster learned about the
history of bread-making, what bread-making was like on the Mayflower and how the breads of their ancestors differ from what they eat today.
Lori Now and Beth Miller, with the 4-H program, gave each student a piece of hard-tack bread to try.  the hard tack is hardy and chewier than bread bought in stores today, and is similar to what the Pilgrims would have had on their ocean-journey.
The students paired up and then went through the process of making “bread in a bag.”  Now and Miller assured the students that the bread they would be making would not taste like the hard-tack.
Each student took turns learning how to measure ingredients properly and mixing the ingredients together at the right time to produce the right chemical reaction.
At the end the students then were able to use the pizza and taco technique to kneed the bread before letting it rest.
Each student brought home his or her bread to bake and enjoy with family.
To make “bread in a bag” you will need the following ingredients:

4  1/4 cups bread flour
1 tbs yeast
3 tbs sugar
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup warm water (110 ° F)
2 tbs soybean or vegetable oil
1 2-gallon freezer bag
2 2-pound aluminum loaf pans
Place yeast, water and sugar in bag and squeeze all the air out, close zipper, shake and mix/work bag to blend.  Let mixture stand for 10 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup bread flour and two teaspoons of salt to the mixture.  repeat mixing technique.
Add the vegetable oil and another 1/4 cup bread flour and repeat mixing technique.
Add 1 1/2 cup bread flour and repeat mixing.
Add last cup of bread flour and mix.  If the mixture sticks to the side of the bag add another 1/4 cup of bread flour and work in.
Remove dough from bag and place on clean floured surface.  Scrape remaining dough from the bag. If the dough still sticks to the bag, add another tablespoon of flour.  To knead the dough, fold the dough toward you with your fingers, give it a quarter turn and push, repeating the process for 8-10 minutes or until the dough because smooth and elastic. If the dough becomes sticky, sprinkle the dough with flour while kneading.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.  Lightly coat each loaf pan with margarine or a non-stick spray.
Punch the dough down, cut in half and roll each half into seven-inch logs. Place each half in separate two-pound loaf pans. Rub softened margarine on top of each loaf.
Let dough rise for 90 minutes until dough has doubled in size (one inch above edge of pan).
Bake for 35-40 minutes on 375° on lowest rack on the lowest setting.  Cover top rack with aluminum foil to prevent bread from browning too quickly.  Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack.