Simple White Bread

I decided that I needed to work on my yeast skills.  So far everything I've tried to make with the stuff has turned out pretty bad.  My kids are carb-aholics (don't know where they got that from?!!!). They love all kinds of bread and I really want to be able to make them homemade so I'm not giving up!  Since we weren't grocery shopping last week we had run out of bread.  I thought that I'd try to make some so I could send my daughter in with a sandwich for lunch on Friday.  This "simple" white bread recipe sounded like the perfect sandwich bread.  Luckily, I had all day Thursday to make this!  It may have been simple in ingredients and preparation but with three risings, it wasn't quick!  I wasn't sure what the dough would look like when it was supposed to double.  So I was so hapy when it came out of the oven looking like this:
 

And it tasted really good too!  We all had a taste that night....warm and chewy on the inside, crunchy crust on the outside.  Over the weekend my husband made an amazing grilled cheese sandwich with it.  I will probably be making this bread again very soon!

Simple White Bread
Cooking Light, May 2005

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/4 cups warm water (100° to 110°), divided
3 cups all-purpose flour
 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation:
Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add 1 cup warm water, flour, and salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Uncover dough, and punch dough down. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Uncover dough; punch dough down. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Roll into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Roll up tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place roll, seam side down, in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Uncover dough; gently brush with egg. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove bread from oven); bake an additional 15 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!