Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Sometimes my kids get bored with lunch.  Sometimes deli meat sandwiches or chicken tenders just don't dazzle them.....so I try to mix it up a little.  This recipe is an old standby that my mom made for me when I was in school.  Now I make my own version of it for my kids.  It all starts with a loaf of homemade cinnamon raisin bread.  After I slice it up, I make a spread out of peanut butter mixed with honey (mixing it makes it taste better than just dumping it on the top of the peanut butter).  Then I slice up an apple pretty thin and lay the slices over the peanut butter mixture and top it with another slice of bread. Super easy, and so yummy! 

Here's a simple recipe for a BIG loaf of Cinnamon Raisin Bread.  I know that adding the cinnamon in a swirl pattern is prettier, but I like my cinnamon to be equally distributed throughout the loaf.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1 1/2 cups of very warm water

2 TBS Butter, softened

4 cups bread flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp yeast

1 cup raisins

Mix everything except the raisins until dough is stiff and leaves the sides of the bowl.  Then add the raisins and turn dough out unto the counter and knead until smooth.  Place in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until double in size.  Punch down, place in a greased loaf pan, and let rise for another 30- 45 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 33 minutes. (High Altitude.)

If you have a bread machine, and you're short on time, dump all the ingredients in the bread machine and mix on the dough cycle.  After the first rise, take it out and put it in a greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 30-45 minutes and bake at 350 for 33 minutes. (High Altitude.)  Or, just let it go all the way through the baking cycle, if you don't mind a square loaf. (I'm more of a traditional kind of gal. I like my loaves to be longer.)

**At regular elevation, the recipe calls for  baking at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.**

Enjoy!