My momma's Homemade Bread Recipe!

Okay, this is the 'old fashioned' way of making bread, but it's the way I prefer ;)   Although, if I were to ever actually use a bread maker, that statement may change, who knows, haha.  So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to get down and dirty with the hands on kneading ;)

This recipe will make 2 loaves of bread, but if I'm just making bread for the family, I will cut the recipe in half. 

Ingredients:

Yeast
Water
Sugar
Salt
Oil
Flour


In a large mixing bowl combine:

• 2 packets of yeast  (I like Rapid Rise the best, but any will do)
• 3 cups of warm water (make sure you don't go over 3 cups, or if you are cutting the recipe (1/2 a cup), because the dough will be get all flaky)!
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tbl salt
• 1/4 cup Oil  (I've used EVOO before in this recipe and it seems as if the bread didn't quite do as well, but I'm not sure if that was because of the EVOO, so I've been trying to just use regular Vegetable Oil for this recipe and it does great).

Let Yeast dissolve a little, and I always gently stir these ingredients together

Combine with the above mixture:

• 7-8 cups of Flour (We used flour specifically for Bread making these past couple of weeks, and I think it really made a difference, but any flour will totally do).
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• Give it all a good stir with a mixing spoon until the mixture starts taking shape/gets clumpy.  It may be a little sticky looking, if so, add flour as you begin to knead it and the stickiness will go away!   Knead for a few minutes until the dough gets nice and soft, and if it doesn't get really soft, that's okay (that happened to me today...and many other times, ha).   Form the dough into a ball and sprinkle flour in the bowl where the ball will sit.   
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• Cover bowl with towel, and let the dough rise for 1 hour, or longer.  I usually let my dough rise a couple of hours because it makes the bread more fluffy I think.   Enjoy the delicious smell that will blanket your whole house while it is rising!!!! 
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• After it is done rising, split the dough into two balls and form loaves placing each one on a greased cookie sheet.  If the dough is sticky after rising, just add more flour.  If you use a cookie sheet, it just means your loaves will be way longer, which we like because than you have more bread.  But, we do use a bread pan too a lot more lately (looks prettier when you give the bread as a gift because the shape is nice), make sure you grease that pan too!  Let the bread rise another 30 minutes, but if you don't....that's okay. 
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• Cook in oven at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes, depends on your oven.  You can poke the bread during cooking, if toothpick/fork comes out clean, it is done.  

Now, cozy up and relax with a nice slice of bread! :)  

Love,
Mar

Meant to take a picture, sorry!