White Bread (Homemade)

Flour, white, 6 cups
Yeast, SAF instant 4 tsp ( would only take tbsp above)
Salt, 2.5 tsp
Granulated Sugar, 6 tbsp ( would only take tsp above)
*Margarine, soft, .5 cup (melted or very soft, don't let it get hot enough when melting to kill the yeast)
Great Value Instant Nonfat Dry Milk Powdered, .5 cup
Lukewarm Water, tap, 2.25 cup (8 fl oz)

Actual preparation time is about 30 minutes, but there is a good 1 1/2 hours of waiting for it to raise.

Using kitchenaid or other mixer with dough hook, add flour, yeast, salt, sugar. Slowly add melted butter ensuring that it isn't hot enough to kill the yeast. Mix on stir speed slowly so flour doesn't puff everywhere. Slowly add dry milk and then pour in about 2 cups of the water. Increase to speed 2 for about 2 minutes to watch flour get incorporated. After a few minutes if it seems too dry, then slowly add the last of the water. I rarely use all of the water. It seems to depend on your humidity and heat/cold weather. I used more water in the summer and less now that it is winter. You want to mix on speed 2 for about 5 min once everything is incorporated to get it kneaded. Dough should be slightly sticky to the touch but not dry. Once done, turn into a greased pan (I just spray with Pam really quickly) and cover with a dishtowel. Either let it sit in a warm place for about an hour to rise, or if I am in a hurry I will heat my oven to 170 degrees, turn it off and set the pan in the warmed oven to raise. You only need about 20-30 mins this way.
Once dough has raised, punch down. Grease 2 bread pans (or spray with Pam) and set aside. Spray a light coating of Pam on the countertop the size of an 8 X 12 rectangle. Divide dough in 1/2 and lay on sprayed area. The spray works better for me than flouring the countertop. You can use a rolling pin if desired, but I just press the dough out to the general rectangle shape I sprayed. Once done, I roll up the dough from the shorter about 8 inch edge. Roll up very tightly and tuck ends in. Place in loaf pan and press down on dough to conform more to pan and make sure you get any air bubbles out. Repeat with other dough and other pan. Cover with a dishtowel and let them set to raise for about 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees so it will be ready when the 30 minutes is done. When bread has raised to be at least even with top of loaf pan and oven is heated, bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Should cut into about 15 slices per loaf. Cool completely before you cut--makes it much easier to cut.

Serving Size: Makes 2 loaves with 15 slices each=30 total slices

Number of Servings: 28

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BRYNNESMUM.