Breadz: Basic

I do not care that it is still 115 degrees outside here in Arizona, I need to make bread! It only has to bake for about an hour anyway, so as long it is done in the later hours of the day, or early AM, it is all good. I started out with something simple since it has been a while since making bread from scratch.

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Approximate Cost: Please, bread is pennies!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

1 tsp salt

1-1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp vegetable shortening

1/2 cup milk

3 cups all-purpose flour (approximately)

Preparation:

Stir yeast in warm water until all the little grains dissolve.

Add salt, sugar, shortening, and milk to bowl. Stir.

Begin adding flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.

You may not need all the flour called for in the recipe, or you may need more; amounts vary depending on many factors, including weather. (Thank you monsoon Arizona)

Turn dough out onto floured board and knead, adding small spoonfuls of flour until the dough is soft and smooth, not sticky. Good Gods was it sticky at the onset. It looked like my fingers were melting into the dough.

Put dough in buttered bowl, turn dough over so that the top of dough is greased. Cover and let rise in warm spot for one hour.

Punch the dough! Turn out onto floured board and knead the crap out of it! This is the fun part of bread. All frustrations of the day pounded out in the kneading process.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Form dough into loaf and set in buttered bread pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn out bread and let cool on a rack or clean dishtowel.

Eat Breadz!