There’s nothing like melted butter on fresh bread.  This homestyle recipe for bread takes some time but the results are worth the wait.  This is a sweet bread that goes well with peanut butter and jam.  Instead, leave out the fruit and serve it with a steaming bowl of soup or spicy chili and you have a hearty meal for a cold winter day.

2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup warm water

4 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast

4 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup milk (scalded)

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 eggs

2 cups raisins (optional)

Dissolve 2 tsp sugar in 1/2 cup warm water.  sprinkle yeast into water mixture, let stand for 10 minutes and stir well.

Measure flour into a bowl and set aside.

Scald milk, stir in sugar and salt.  Cool to lukewarm.  Add lukewarm milk mixture, shortening, eggs and 1 cup of flour to dissolved yeast mixture. Blend.

Mix yeast mixture with remaining flour and let rise in a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes.

Punch down and then mold into a bread tin.  Let rise 30 to 60 minutes until doubled in size.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes.

Note: This is a sweet bread suitable for mixing in raisins, dried cranberries or dried blueberries.  Mix fruit in when adding the second measurement of flour