Wheat Potato Bread

I've gotten into this habit of making breads on the weekends. This is certainly not a bad habit. It's actually a great habit. My house smells of baking bread and I get to enjoy fresh from the oven, soft and chewy bread on a weekly basis. Apparently this week is extra bread-y because this is my second yeast recipe (see baguettes); I didn't actually make them in the same weekend. Just getting to posting them both now...

ANYWHO... One of my goals after starting my postdoc was to experiment with yeast a little more (outside of lab, I'm not working with yeast in lab). I would say that is a goal that I've been sticking with... it keeps me away from campus at least one day a week and experimenting in the kitchen.

I wanted to make potato bread because for some reason, completely forgotten to me now, I bought one of those boxes of instant potato flakes. I know it was for some recipe because I think instant potatoes by themselves taste like wet cardboard, but somehow they got shoved to the back of my pantry and I didn't end up making my planned dish (whatever it was). In trying to find new things to do with this box o' flakes, I came across this potato bread recipe that used either leftover mashed potatoes or instant potatoes. Obvi I went with the instant ones. I decided to sub in some whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose.

The potato bread was good and worked for sandwiches and toast, however it doesn't quite have the feel of normal sandwich bread. It is a little more dense and flaky bordering on a quick bread. But I still enjoyed it.

I can't wait to experiment more with yeast. Come along on the journey with me :)

Wheat Potato Bread (adapted from The Frugal Girl)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup mashed potatoes (rehydrated instant flakes as described on box, or leftovers)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 - 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:
Combine the warm water and yeast in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes until foamy. Stir in the potatoes, sugar, oil and salt. Stir in the whole wheat flour and enough of the all purpose flour to make a sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 7-8 minutes, adding more all purpose flour as needed, until the dough is smooth.

Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise 1 hour. Punch down the dough and roll out into a large rectangle about 8 inch by