Homemade Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup milk
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 6 Tbs shortening
  
• 1 pkg dry yeast
  
• 1 cup warm water (105 degrees)
  
• 6 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
  
• extra flour
  
• extra shortening
  
• softened butter or salad oil
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Scald milk.
   
2. Combine scalded milk, sugar, salt and shortening in the pan in which milk was scalded. Let cool to lukewarm.
   
3. Crumble yeast into warm water in a very large mixing bowl. Stir until dissolved.
   
4. Stir milk mixture into yeast.
   
5. Add 3 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Stir in remaining 3 cups of flour, beating and mixing to incorporate all flour.
   
6. Turn dough onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic.
   
7. Grease mixing bowl with shortening. Warm bowl slightly by dipping in warm water.
   
8. Place dough in bowl and brush top with softened butter or salad oil.
   
9. Cover with folded kitchen towel and let rise in warm, but not hot (about 85 degrees), free from drafts, place, until doubled in bulk.
   
10. Punch dough down in bowl and turn out onto floured board.
    
11. With sharp knife, cut dough in half.
    
12. Cover the 2 pieces with a towel and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
    
13. Grease 2 (9x5x3) loaf pans. Shape each loaf with hand to fit length of pan and place in pans.
    
14. Cover lightly with towels and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes or until center is slightly higher than edges.
    
15. Start oven at moderately hot (400 degrees).
    
16. Bake loaves about 50 minutes, or until crusty and browning and loaf has shrunk slightly from side of pan.
    
17. Remove loaves from pans as soon as taken from the oven, turning out onto clean towel and uprighting loaves.