And Now...The Whole Wheat Bread Recipe You've All Been Waiting For

Mike's Favorite Whole Wheat Bread Recipe - Modified
Click here to view this recipe without all the distracting photos I hate blogger's terrible formatting tools, add that to the fact that I am not a photographer and we've got ourselves a REALLY ugly post. Oh well, function over form I guess.
Here's the recipe:
2Tbs. dry, active yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 c warm water
Mix together and set aside.

Use water the temperature of your skin.

Yeast mixture after 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix:
1/3 c oil & 1/3 c honey(measure the oil and honey together pouring the honey on top of the oil helps it come out of the measuring cup more easily)
1 Tbs. salt
2 1/2 Tbs. vinegar (I think this is the secret to this light, fluffy wheat bread)
2 c warm water
3 1/2 c whole wheat flour (I use white wheat another secret to light flavor and texture - also, this is only half of your flour you're going to need)

Add the dissolved yeast to the bread mixture and stir for 7min. to get the gluten working. Let rest for 10 minutes, then add:
3 ½ c whole wheat flour

Wet ingredients and salt

Add first cups of flour

Mix flour and wet ingredients.

Add yeast, mix another little bit to get gluten working.

This is what it looks like before you add the final cups of flour

Mix and/or knead for 10 minutes. Dough should still be tacky, this will make it lighter in texture. Cover and let rise in a warm place for at least 15 minutes. Roll out onto floured surface, shape into loaves. Put into greased bread pans, rise until doubled in size. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Risen dough, about an hour later.

Rolled out, getting ready to be made into loaves.

Ready to rise.

After 30 minutes.

Another 30 minutes later.

Wow! I think it was more work to document this labor of love than it was to actually make the bread. Don't be discouraged by the photos and the steps in the process. It all takes about 2 1/2 hours, but you can do lots of other things during mixing, rising and baking times. This is not a recipe that enslves, it liberates. Try it and let me know what you think. If you live near me, come over and we'll make this recipe together.

Do you have an easier recipe that still promises great results? We'd love for you to share.