HOME-MADE BREAD: Here is a tried & true recipe that has given me delicious result for many years.

BASIC WHITE BREAD:

5 ½ to 6 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. sugar                                                     

1 pkg. (1 tbsp.) active dry yeast

2 cups warm water                                          

2 tbsp. each sugar & olive oil

2 to 3 tsp. salt                                                 

egg wash--1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp water

In measuring cup, dissolve sugar in ½ cup of warm water (around 100-110 degrees F). Sprinkle in yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes for yeast to develop. After 10 minutes, stir yeast down; then cover again. Leave to stand another 5 minutes more. Add olive oil and mix in.

Meanwhile, add 5 cups of flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of the standing electric mixer with dough hook attached. Turn to Speed 2 and swirl mixture for a few seconds to mix.  With machine running, add yeast mixture into the flour, followed by 1½ cups warm water. Continue to knead dough on Speed 2, adding remaining ½ to 1 cup of extra flour gradually. Knead until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead for 2 minutes longer.

Remove dough from mixer and place it in a greased bowl, turning dough over to grease it thoroughly. Cover bowl with clean cloth and let rise in a warm place (see general instructions), free from draft, for about 1½ hours, or until dough doubles in bulk, and tested risen.

Punch dough down and turn it out onto floured surface. Knead it for a couple times to remove any large bubbles. Divide and cut dough according to choice of sizes:

1.  Cut dough into 2 large pieces to fit into two 9x 5 loaf pans to make regular-sized loaves.

2.  Use 1 large piece of dough to make into a regular loaf; then cut the other dough into 4  equal pieces to fit into 4 mini loaf pans.

3.   Divide each regular loaf into 3 equal pieces to make into 6 mini loaves.

Cover cut dough with towel and allow to rest for 25 minutes before shaping.

Shape pieces into loaves (see general instructions) and put them in greased loaf pans.  Cover loaves with tea towel, and let rise in a warm place, until top of dough rises over the rim and the loaf has doubled in size.

Preheat over to 400 degrees F.  Brush tops of loaf with egg wash. Bake 25 minutes for mini loaves, and 45 minutes for large loaves. Cool on wire rack.