Easy peasey basic white bread

This is probably the easiest staple bread I make (I have about four staple recipes, the ones I make all the time and not the special breads or experiment ones) and also one of the only breads that I use All purpose flour for. I mostly use bread flour, wheat flour, rye flour, rarely AP. But it works in this bread. This is a yummy white bread, offering pretty much everything you want from white bread... and it's perfect for French toast and soaking up sauces. Or just for sandwiches. Or if you ask me, for putting lots of crunchy peanut butter on top of.

And really if you are new to bread making or nervous about it, you really can't go wrong with this recipe. At least, you'd have to try really hard to!

This recipe makes two loaves:

3 cups warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar - Or Agave which works really well in this bread and I've also used honey.
6-7 cups of All purpose flour

In a big mixing bowl, put your yeast in the warm water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then stir in your salt, sugar (or agave, honey) and slowly start adding your flour. Stir after you add every cup. When the dough starts to get too thick to stir, spread some flour on your counter and then pull the dough out of the bowl, place it on the counter and start to knead. Continue to knead until your dough is no longer shaggy but rather smooth and elastic - I usually knead mine for 5-10 minutes depending on how quick it comes together. But it usually doesn't take very long. Grease a clean mixing bowl with a little Olive oil (rub it around the bowl) and place the dough in the greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise usually an hour - until it's doubled in size, depending on how warm your house is.

Once doubled split the dough into two, and place into two greased bread pans. Cover again with the tea towel and let rise another hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake your bread for 35 minutes, until golden brown and then remove from the oven. I never can let this bread cool, it's really the best when fresh out of the oven slathered in butter.

We are getting completely blown away, again... the only new thing about it is that the wind is warm for the first time and not like ice. That's a welcome addition to the constant heavy wind April has brought us.

I tried something new with my second batch of Feta cheese. I pasteurized my milk first. I wanted to compare the two cheeses once they were both ready. Feta cheese needs to brine (when using fresh milk) for 30 days. Of course I've already tested my cheese, I can't just leave it in the fridge and not poke at it, but I will let it sit for the 30 days before I use it all. Anyway, I didn't have to wait the 30 days to compare my pasteurized cheese with my raw goats milk cheese.

Why you ask? The pasteurized milk didn't even make curds. It did nothing. It barely separated after 24 hours. So I guess that answered that question for me.

Gotta run, it's .2 seconds after the dogs usual feeding time and things are quickly becoming out of control!