Homemade Bread

Is there anything better than homemade bread? I found this recipe on BettyCrocker.com for a simple white bread. Here is the first couple of loaves I made a couple of weeks ago:


I made them with just plain, all-purpose white flour. They turned out SO tasty! I love it!

Today I made it with one cup of home ground wheat replacing a cup of the white flour. Ya know to kind of work our way up to wheat bread (because it's kind of gross as of right now). I also scored it:It turned out even more delicious than the plain white did! It was SO soft and moist. I buttered the crust with extra butter before and after it baked.
I can't begin to describe...so heavenly!


Here is the recipe:

6	to 7 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour* or Better for Bread® bread flour
3	tablespoons sugar
1	tablespoon salt
2	tablespoons shortening
2	packages regular or quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 1/4	cups very warm water (120° to 130°F)
2	tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, if desired

	Print these coupons...
	About Concordance™

1.	In large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
2.	Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
3.	Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
4.	Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. (See How to Shape Traditional Yeast Bread Loaves, page 82.) Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35 to 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
5.	Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
6.	Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.
*If using self-rising flour, omit salt.

Nutrition Information:

1 Slice: Calories 100 (Calories from Fat 10); Total Fat 1g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 220mg; Total Carbohydrate 21g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 1g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.