Dill Cottage Cheese Wheat Bread

I think I'm kind of stuck in a rut when it comes to bread baking at my house.  I usually make my same go to recipe for sandwich bread.  Which is amazing, because we love that bread! But, it is also nice to break away and do something different.  Like this!  I got this recipe from an old Kitchenaid cookbook, and it was wonderful.  So moist and flavorful, just delicious! Dill Cottage Cheese Wheat Bread

1/4 cup warm water
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups cottage cheese
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons dried dill weed
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, divided

In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Add the cottage cheese, honey, butter, eggs, dill weed, salt, baking soda, and 4 cups of the flour.  Stir together with a large spoon until the dough comes together.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, working in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour as needed.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, grease the top of the dough, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour.

Grease 2 8x4 inch loaf pans.  Divide the dough in half and form each half into a loaf.  Place the shaped dough in the prepared pans.  Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes.  While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350F.  

Bake the bread for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown (you want to make sure it is done in the center!).  Remove the bread from the oven and turn out of the pans.  Let bread cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing. Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy