Mom’s Crusty White Bread…mmmm!

I’m about to make some bread and I’m using the recipe that my mom used to make.  It has been a little while since I’ve made bread, but I can’t wait for the smell of fresh homemade baked bread to fill my kitchen!  Here’s the recipe if you want to try it:

Crusty White Bread

2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sugar (I’ll be using splenda)
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup oil
6-6 1/2 cups flour

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Stir in sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour and beat until smooth.  Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes).

Turn oven off.  Place dough in a greased metal or glass bowl, brush top with oil, cover and place in warm oven. (Make sure oven is OFF) Let rise in warm oven until bread doubles in size. (about 45 minutes - dough is ready if you gently press your finger into it and an impression remains)

Punch down dough and divide in half.  Roll each half into a rectangle 18×9 inches.  Roll up each rectangle, beginning with the short side and when roll is complete, press each side to seal and fold ends under loaf.

Place seam side down in a greased loaf pan (9×5x3 inches).

Brush loaves with oil and let rise again until double. (about one hour)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake 35 minutes or until loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped.