Sandwich Bread

 

 

Recipe from here 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

Method

1. In large bowl, add the warm water. Slowly stir in dry yeast. Continue to stir until yeast is dissolved.
2. Add salt, sugar, shortening, and milk to bowl. Stir.
3. Mix in the first 2 cups of flour.
4. If needed, begin adding more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.
5. You do not need to use up all the flour called for in this recipe, or you may need more flour than called for. The amounts vary depending on many factors, including weather, which is why most bread recipes only give an approximate amount of flour needed.
6. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead, adding small spoonfuls of flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth, not sticky to the touch.
7. Put dough in buttered bowl, turn dough over so that the top of dough is greased. Cover and let rise in warm spot for 1 hour.
8. Punch down dough. Turn out onto floured board and knead.
9. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.
10. Form dough into loaf and set in buttered bread pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
11. Score dough by cutting three slashes across the top with a sharp knife. Put in oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Turn out bread and let cool on a rack or clean dishtowel.

Note: My bread did not take the desired shape...my pan might have been too big!  Copied a reader's comment from the above linked blog which might be helpful in my next attempt.
Comment from a reader:
Although I am an experienced bread baker, I wanted to try a simple, basic bread recipe for every day use. This is a great one. The bread came out crusty on top, soft and dense inside, and sliced up perfectly. I made some subtle changes that may help the inexperienced bread baker. First of all, I mixed 2 cups of flour with the salt. Don't add salt directly to the yeast. I also mixed the yeast with the warm water and sugar prior to adding it to the mixing bowl of my kitchenaid. After that I added the milk and oil (I used olive oil not shortening), and finally the flour/salt mix. I found that it took just about 2 1/2 cups of flour to be the right consistency. I rushed the final rise so it wasn't as high as if I had left it for another 10 or 15 minutes but it didn't affect the taste. I baked it in a preheated 375 oven for 30 minutes. The bread is done when it sounds ""hollow"" when you knock on the top. Mine came out perfectly and tasted delicious. I think this would be a very easy recipe for someone who hasn't baked bread before. I will definitely use it again for sandwich bread.