Family Style White Bread

Ingredients:

2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast;

5 -5 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour;

1/4 cup sugar;

2 teaspoons salt;

1/4 cup oil;

2 cups hot water.

Preparation:

Measure yeast, 2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and oil into large mixing bowl, blending well. Stir in hot water and mix with spoon until mixture is smooth and satiny.

Slowly add 3 cups more flour, mixing til dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Cover. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny.

Place dough in greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, let rise in warm draft free place for about 1 1/2 hours until dough doubles in side.

Punch dough down. Divide dough into 2 parts. Shape each into a loaf and place into 2 greased bread pans. Let rise again for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled.

Bake at 375F for 40-45 minutes or til loaves sound like they are hollow when tapped and are golden in color.

Remove from pans right away and brush with melted butter.

(For Raisin Bread-Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups raisins before shaping into loaves.).

(For Cinnamon Loaf-To shape, roll dough out to a 14x17 inch rectangle. Sprinkle with mixture of 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon. Roll up tightly to make loaf. Let rise and bake as for plain loaf.