Grandma’s Homemade Bread

I visited Aunt Zina on West Pine River Road while on leave from the Air Force.  During that visit, she was making homemade bread.  I knew she made it the same way her mother, my Grandma Weiss, did.  I asked her to teach me.  She agreed, and said to watch while she worked.  I got a piece of paper and started to write.  Twelve cups of flour for six loaves.  Put some sugar in the center.  

Dale:  How much sugar?  

Aunt Zina:  I don’t know.  This much, showing her cupped hand.  Except for the flour, we never measured ingredients.  That’s the way my mother taught us.

I asked her to help me estimate, because I’ll never remember—that’s why I’m writing it all down.  Aunt Zina slowed downed to help me get it all down on paper.  The house filled with the smell of baked bread.  It was delicious—it tasted just the way it did at Grandma Weiss’s house when I was a boy.  Here’s the recipe.

Aunt Zina’s Homemade Bread—Six Loaves

1.    Put 12 cups Flour in a large mixing bowl
2.    Add in center: 

•    ¼ cup Sugar
•    2 or 3 tbsp Salt
•    ¾ cup Oil or melted Crisco
•    2 quarts Water and Powdered Milk
•    3 packs Dry Yeast

3.    Beat with mixer
4.    Let rise in bowl about one hour at 85 Deg F
5.    Add 8 cups more flour, or more as necessary.
6.    Knead at least 10-15 minutes (Add oil to bowl)
7.    Let rise in bowl about 1 hour
8.    Divide into Loaves (6) and place in pans
9.    Cover pans and let rise about 1 hour
10.    Bake at 375 Deg F for 60 minutes
11.    Butter crust an let cool for 3 or 4 hours
12.    Enjoy it!

The next day, when my Mom Doris was at work, I bought a large stoneware mixing bowl (like the one shown in the photo), and I baked six loaves of bread. My brother Clyde was there to enjoy this project. He helped by neatly printing the recipe in color. When Mom got home, she wasn’t completely delighted. The bowl (I) left some scratches on her formica-topped kitchen table.  She always took great care of her things, so she was very disappointed. I explained that I got so excited with the baking process that I didn’t think to put something under the bowl to protect the table. I apologized, and she forgave me; but, it’s like getting the first scratch in your new car. It takes a while to get over.