Tuesday's Food: Crockpot Raisin Bread

I love to make bread. I really, really do. So as I was looking through Stephanie O'Dea's recipes for bread ideas (because I know I saw desserts and such), I found a plain, well, gluten free, recipe for bread in the crockpot. I was SO excited! Here's the thing, though, I don't really do gluten free. And by "do" I mean it is not necessarily a priority in my household. I know it's important to some of my friends (Kristin!), so I will provide the link to her bread, and then show you how I adapted it for me and mine. And remember, Tara, over at Mommy Time, and I have been working through these recipes. Since we have started, she and I both have come across some great recipes, and there is even a Facebook page (Slow Cooking Freezer Meals) where we can share (because Sharing is Caring). :) 

Oh, and PS: there are three very nifty links in the above paragraph. Check them out. You will not be disappointed. 

Original Recipe "Perfect Gluten Free Bread Baked in the Crockpot" 

And here is my recipe: "Raisin' Crockpot Bread" (Pun intended) 

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup warm water
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup raisins
8 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

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Don't mind my generic products from, like, 4 different stores.

Steps:

• Warm the milk

• Dissolve the yeast in the water and let sit until it foams (about 10 minutes) 
• In a large mixing bowl, mix yeast/milk mixture, eggs, sugar, salt, butter, and raisins. 

• Gradually add the flour in until the dough is firm. 

• At this point, you are supposed to add the dough to a greased loaf pan and place it inside your crockpot to cook (picture 1), but my loaf pans wouldn't fit inside the crock. So, I just put the dough inside the crock (picture 2). First though,  I mixed the sugar and cinnamon. As I was dumping it into the crock, I was sprinkling the mixture in. Turned out great! 

• Turn on high for 3-4 hours, checking it every 45 minutes or so.  
• This rose crazy high, so after about an hour in the crock, I deflated it. 
• After about 3 hours, mine was done. So I turned it out on the cooling rack. Check out this baby! 

• So....it's huge. Once it cools, I cut it in half and froze half of it. I'm going to make some french toast with the other half. 

What I love about this is that it shows that I could bake some bread in my new (kitchen) best friend. If you are in to baking bread in the crockpot, give this a shot, but make sure you keep on eye on it.