Homemade Bread

The bread is very easy to make and so good! Don't let the fact that it's done by hand scare you, it's very, very easy!!! I used a bread machine up until a few months ago because I was too scared to attempt to try making bread by hand. Then a friend gave me this recipe and I'll never make bread in the machine again. It's so much better and it's so simple!

3/4 cup warm water
1 pkg. yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
3 cups all purpose flour, approximately (you can also use whole wheat flour. I do a combination of all purpose and whole wheat)

In a large bowl, add warm water. Slowly stir in yeast. Stir until yeast is dissolved.

Add salt, honey, butter and milk. Stir. Mix in first two cups of flour. If needed, begin adding more flour one Tbs. at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead, adding small fistfuls of flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth, not sticky to the touch.

Place in a buttered bowl, turning once so the top is greased. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Punch dough down and turn onto a floured surface and knead.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Form dough into a loaf and place in a buttered bread pan. Cover and let rise for about 30. minutes.

Score dough by cutting 3 slashes across the top. Bake for about 45 minutes. Turn bread out and let cool.