Measure the warm water
into a large bowl. Add the honey, salt and dry milk; stir to
dissolve. Add the yeast. Stir gently. Allow the
mixture to sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to
bubble. This lets you know the yeast is active and
working. Add the shortening or oil and stir in the flour.
Start off with the smaller amount of flour and add more if
necessary. Dig into the dough with your hands (are they clean?)
and form it into a cohesive ball. Knead the dough in the bowl
or on the counter for 10 minutes by the clock. Do not be stingy
with the kneading. This is what gives bread it's soft
texture. Set the dough aside for a few moments while you wash
out the bowl. After you dry the bowl pour 1-teaspoon of oil
into it. Plop the dough on top of the oil and roll it around so
that it's evenly coated with a thin sheen of oil. Cover the
bowl with a tea-towl or plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot to
rise. Allow it to rise for 1 to 2 hours or until it is doubled
in bulk. Next punch the dough down and divide it into 2
lumps. Coax each lump into a loaf shape. Place the dough
into 2 bread pans that have been coateded with nonstick spray.
Cover them and allow to rise until doubled again. This may take
1 hour or perhaps a little more. Bake the loaves at 350°
for 35 minutes. Remove the hot loaves from the oven and turn
them out onto the counter to cool. After an hour or two place
the cooled loaves into plastic, gallon-sized, twist-top bags.
Store in the bread box or cupboard for up to a week. Freeze
immediately for longer storage.
This bread is soft and
light and has about half of the sodium of most bread. The
texture is perfect for toast, sandwiches or plain bread and margarine
or butter. When the bread gets to be a few days old, it's
lovely made into French toast or croutons.
