Two Loaves of White

 We were grocery shopping yesterday when Mom suggested we buy bread. "Let me just make a couple of loaves this afternoon," I told her. I far prefer homemade bread for toast at breakfast (though I'll admit commercial bread is better for sandwiches).

 So when we got home, I put together a couple of loaves of basic white bread. I've already posted the recipe on this blog. Click here to have a look.

 Late in the afternoon after the loaves were finished, we cut off an end of one and Mom and I each had samples. Delicious! It's best with lots of butter ... and you can see we didn't skimp there.

 Here's the dough after the first rise. It seemed a little dry to me and I think I should have added extra milk (or water). But the dough clearly doubled in size in the hour and fifteen minutes I let it rise in a warmed oven.

 The risen dough is knocked down, divided in two and placed into bread pans. Here's the second loaf as I got ready to remove it from the warm oven. Because our kitchen is cold, I always use the oven as a warm spot for rising. I just turn the oven on for a minute and then turn it back off. I further regulate the temperature by opening the oven door as needed. Then, when I get ready to bake, I remove the risen loaves and set them aside while the oven heats.

 Here's the two loaves, still steaming hot. They popped out of the greased pans easily.

 This morning I had two slices. I toasted them fairly dark, lathered on butter and ate them with blackberry jam. Now that's the way to start the day.