Homemade Classic White Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour;

1/2 tbsp salt;

1/2 cup sugar;

2.5 tsp active dry yeast;

2 tbsp milk;

2 tbsp oil;

1 cup warm water.

Preparation:

Take a large bowl add sugar,salt,oil and yeast and mix nicely.Then add warm water and let it sit for 10 min. After 10 min add milk and the all purpose flour 1 cup at a time and knead for approximately 5 min or until the dough becomes smooth.Keep the dough aside.

Coat the bowl with 1 tbsp oil,then place this dough in it and roll it. Cover this bowl with a damp cloth or a cling wrap and let it sit for 1 hr.

The dough size will double after 1 hr, knead it again nicely and shape it to a bread loaf and put it is a well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pan and let it sit for another 45 min. It will rise to the edge of the pan.

Preheat the oven 15 min before baking at 350 F and bake the loaf for 35 min.

Buttermilk Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water;

1 T active dry yeast;

1 cup warm buttermilk;

1/2 cup honey;

1/4 cup vegetable oil;

1 T salt;

1/2 cup mashed potatoes;

6 cups flour.

Preparation:

Dissolve yeast in very warm water. Combine all ingredients besides flour. Add flour and knead til smooth and springy, 5-10 minutes by hand, adding a little flour only if necessary, dough will be slightly sticky (I did this all in my Kitchenaid with the dough hook attachment and let it knead itself until it completely cleaned all of the sides of the mixing bowl.) Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and then a dish towel. Let rise til doubled. I usually turn my oven on to 100 degrees and turn it off and then place my covered dough in the warm oven for about 2 hours. Gently deflate dough, divide into two equal halves and place into 2 greased loaf pans. Punch them down into the pans. Place back in a warm oven covered with a dishtowel. Leave until dough has topped the pan but not over-proofed, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until well-browned and sounds hollow when thumped. Remove from pans to cool and brush tops with melted butter.

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.