time to make our healthy bread

Even in Our Small Town, food prices have doubled or tripled in the past year. One loaf of healthy, whole-grain bread such as what Pepperidge Farm or Earthgrains makes costs about $4.00 here. The closest discount bakery is a two hour drive and I don't want to eat nutrient-depleted fairy bread that costs only one dollar, so I am finally in bread-making mode.The cool weather that has recently rescued us from the summer heat is another impetus. Oven usage is to be avoided in 100+ degree heat if possible (although I plan to keep baking our own bread even in summer), but using the oven in cool weather not only provides food, it also creates heat!When I was growing up my family experienced homeade bread. I have fond memories of my mom and grandmother baking bread, and eating such bread with real butter and homemade strawberry jam while the bread was still warm.Then there were wax-paper-wrapped bologna sandwiches on grandma's bread when we went picnicking at Cheney Lake with her and grandpa, and PB&J on mom's bread when my siblings and I took our lunches to school. Alicia's Version of Oatmeal Bread was my recipe of choice for this foray. I planned to start baking our own bread last year, but I kept procrastinating because it seemed an overwhelming process of mixing and kneading until my arm's about to fall off. I don't own a handy-dandy Kitchen-Aid mixer that mixes and kneads the dough for you. Alicia's recipe, however, is relatively quick, and my arm is still attached.