Quick and Easy White Bread Recipe

     I love this bread recipe because it is quick and extremely easy to make.  It can also be made in a lot of variations to spice things up. 

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour

   The most important tip I have ever learned when making bread or yeast products is to start every recipe by putting your warm water in a bowl, then adding the sugar from the recipe, and finally sprinkling the yeast on top.  The reason for doing this is that yeast needs food (i.e. sugar) to grow as well as warmth.  Although you do not have to do this first it gives the yeast a jump start and makes it possible to kneed the dough less in later steps.  Let the yeast hang out in the bowl until a foam forms on the top.  

     The next step is to add the rest of the ingredients.  It is a good idea with bread to add the salt into the flour first and then add the oil and salt and flour mixture to the yeast.  Salt and yeast do not mix well so this gives them a little buffer.  Mix all of these ingredients loosely and then dump them on a clean dry surface to need the remaining flour in to a ball.  Do not worry if not all the flour mixes in.  Just get the dough to a mostly dry consistency that is no longer tacky.  At this point put the dough into a bowl that is covered with non-stick cooking spray and cover with a towel.  Let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled (usually around one hour).  

 

     After an hour cut the dough into two pieces and form each piece into a rough bread like roll.  Place each roll into a buttered bread pan and cover with a towel until the bread rises roughly one inch above the edge of the pan.  When it has finished rising bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes.  

     Remove the bread from the oven and immediately take it out of the bread pans placing it on a cooling rack.  Or if you are like me slice into it and slather it in butter.  One of the best snacks ever!

     The variations you can make this bread in is where your imagination comes in.  It makes great rosemary bread, almond cranberry, dill, or anything else you can think of.  My personal favorite is to add cheddar cheese into the dough before it rises.  It gives it great flavor and makes it a little nicer to put on the dinner table.  Happy cooking!