This is a loaf of bread that you can make up even if you've never tried to bake one! It's very easy and straight forward and would be a good introduction to someone who'd like to try baking bread but is frightened off by the idea of using yeast and doing much kneading. Try it; you'll like it!

Ingredients:

¾ cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

½ cup milk

3 cups all-purpose flour

Process:

Pour warm water in a large bowl.

Slowly stir in the yeast and continue to stir until it is all dissolved.

Add salt, sugar, shortening and milk to the bowl and stir until everything is totally combined.

Mix in the first 2 cups of flour.

Add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and begin to knead it (2 or 3 minutes), adding small amounts of flour as required to get the dough to the point where it is soft and smooth to the touch and no longer sticky.

Put the dough in a greased or buttered bowl and turn it so that all sides are greased

Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about an hour.

Punch down the dough, turn it out onto a floured surface, and knead it for a few more minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Form dough into a loaf shape and set into a prepared 9 X 5-inch pan.

Cover and let rise a half hour.

Score the top of the dough by cutting three slashes across the top with a sharp knife.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn out of loaf pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

NOTES:

Use bottled water instead of tap water since public water contain chlorine which can inhibit or even kill the yeast if the chlorine content is too high.

Brush loaves with butter immediately after baking to produce a soft crust.

Brush loaves with milk before baking to produce a dark, shiny crust.

Brush loaves with egg white before baking to produce a shiny crust.

Spraying loaves with water while they bake will produce a crispy crust.