Whole Wheat Bread

6-7 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. salt
2 1/2 cups water
3 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Olive oil
4 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast, or 2 pkg reg or dry active yeast.

   Mix 3 1/2 cups flour with 2 cups water and allow to soak for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.  Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup very warm water.  Add sugar, salt, oil and yeast in large mixing bowl.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently.  Stir in enough remaining flour 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
  Place dough on lightly floured surface.  Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy.  Place dough in large bowl greased with pan spray, turning dough to grease all sides.  Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let eise in warm place for 40-60 min or until double.  Grease bottoms and sides of 2 loaf pans with pan spray.
   Gently push fist into dough to deflate.  Divide dough in half.  Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into rectangle on lightly floured surface.  Roll dough up tightly beginning at short side.  Press with thumbs to seal after each turn.  Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal.  Press each end with side of hand to seal.  Fold ends under loaf.  Place seam side down in pan.  Brush loaves with butter if desired.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 35-50 minutes or until double.
  Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of the oven.  Heat oven to 375.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.  Remove from pans to wire rack.
***You can add mashed potatoes, grated zucchini, cooked oatmeal, leftover cream of wheat for moistness.  Substitute 2/3 cup honey for sugar to have Honey Wheat Bread