You Gotta Love Homemade Bread!

I LOVE BREAD! But, I guess you could say that I am a bit of a bread snob. I really don't like the sliced bread from the store and for the first part of our marriage I just didn't buy it. We have a bread machine and it is wonderful. I used to use it for our only source of bread. A few weeks ago I got brave and I decided to branch out and try making the bread completely by hand. Now, I am addicted. The bread machine is collecting dust and wondering if we still love it. I am still very new to this handmade bread thing and I've only mastered one recipe. I try to make it often enough to keep bread in the house. It makes two loaves and I usually freeze the extra loaf. I would like to share this wonderful recipe with everyone. I got it from allrecipes.com.

Amish White Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in wamr water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a ligh floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, andplace into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 3 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

YUMMY!