Home-made Bread 

Nothing tastes better than a warm slice of fresh baked bread with butter!  It is so good, and when compared to the bread you buy at the store . . . There is no comparison. This is the perfect time to start making your own bread. Not only does it taste good, it makes your house smell great, and using the oven helps warm the house as well.

 Ingredients

2 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar or honey
1 Tbs. dry yeast
1/3 c. dry milk powder
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. butter or olive oil
4 to 5 1/2 c. flour
Oil or grease to grease the bowl and loaf pans

Directions

In a large bowl, add the warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir to mix and then leave this stand for 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the yeast to bloom and show whether it is active or not.

Add the remaining sugar, dry milk powder, 1 cup flour, salt and butter.  Mix or beat well. You can also use a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. I use a wooden spoon and stir it by hand, then finish the bread by kneading the dough with my hands. 

Continue to add the flour, a half cup at a time. Stirring well after each addition. When the dough becomes too stiff to stir with the spoon, turn out onto a floured board and knead by hand.  Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed.  The dough should be slightly sticky.

Grease a large bowl, (or use the one you started mixing your bread in, to save on washing more dishes.)  Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides with the oil or grease.  Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This takes about 60 to 90 minutes.   Grease or spray two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.  I use grease for this, as it just works better for me.   Punch the dough down and divide the dough into two equal portions.  Shape into a loaf or roll out the dough into a long rectangle, keeping one end 9-inches wide. Then roll the dough back up, starting at the 9-inch side. Seal the bottom edge and place the loaf into the pan. Rolling out the dough helps to remove the air pockets.  Brush the tops of the loaves with some oil to keep the tops from drying out as they rise.   Place in a warm location until doubled in size. This usually takes about 60 to 90 minutes.    Bake at 350° for 25 to 33 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with your finger.  Remove from the oven. Run a stick of butter over the tops of the loaves for a great buttery taste. Don't use the whole stick of butter. You just want enough butter to make the top glisten with oil. This also helps to keep the top from becoming hard and dried out.  Remove the bread loaf from the pans and place on a wire rack to cool. Try to wait at least 10 minutes before slicing and eating.   Notes: I put my bread in the oven to rise because I have a pilot light that stays lite, and it keeps the interior of the oven at the perfect temperature for rising.   Most recipes say to cover the loaves with a piece of plastic wrap, but I don't do that. I do brush some oil over the tops to keep them from drying out.   When it comes time for baking, I turn the oven on to 350°.  By doing this, it helps the dough to rise a little more as the oven heats.