Everyday Bread

2 cups of lukewarm water

2 tablespoons of Saf-T-Instant yeast

2 tablespoons of sugar

Combine in bowl to make sure the yeast is alive. When it’s bubbly and blooming, continue.

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 cups of flour

Add these to the same bowl and stir with bread hook on low.

1 teaspoon of salt

2 more cups of flour

Add these to the same bowl. Leave mixer on low, and add 1/2 cup of flour, then another. Keep adding 1/2 cup of flour at a time until the dough forms a ball. All the flour should be in the ball, not on the sides of the bowl.

Put the dough on the counter and knead it 10-15 times until it as smooth as can be. Put in an oiled bowl, flip it to coat all sides, then cover with plastic wrap, and let rise till double, or overnight in the refrigerator.

In two hours or the next day, punch the dough down in the bowl, divide into two, and form each one into a loaf about eight inches long. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Use a sharp knife to score the loaves and let rise for 10 minutes while the oven preheats to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped.

If you don’t use the loaves that day, you can slice them up and freeze them, then toast slices as needed.