Grandma Bright's Bread

Grandma Bright holding Johnathan

There was nothing better than Grandma Bright's bread while I was growing up. Grandma worked in the lunch room at the elementary school for years and the entire town loved her cinnamon rolls...which she made from scratch to serve at school.

We all wanted to learn how to make it just like her. I took my turn trying to learn it. Grandma made bread while I watched. I guessed at the measurements as she used an old coffee mug to add the flour, a pinch of this and a shake of that. Unfortunately, I wasn't able (for reasons of my own) to stop Grandma and take the time to actually measure everything as she put it in. I did find a recipe later that came close, but close isn't the same.

This spring (while I was doing the hcg diet) I learned that some of my cousins had spent time with Grandma and learned her bread recipe. They had been more assertive than me and had the actual measurements of Grandma Bright's Bread Recipe. I was finally able to try it out today!

Yummy!

Grandma Bright's Bread

1 cup warm/hot water (from the tap is plenty hot...don't want to kill the yeast)

1 Tbsp yeast

Add yeast to the water and let sit until foamy.

Add:

1 tsp salt

1/4-1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or oil

3 cups flour

If you are using a Bosch or Kitchen Aide, add the flour gradually. Let it knead until it looks good. Rise with the lid on or covered with a dish towel for 45 minutes. Grease cookie sheet or 9 x 13 pan for rolls, or 2 bread pans for bread. Punch down the dough and pan it. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and let the dough rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size. (Hint: if you rise it in a warm--about 180 degree--oven it can cut that time in half.) Bake 20 minutes for rolls, or 30-35 minutes for loaves. Makes 2 loaves of bread, 24 dinner rolls or 12 cinnamon rolls. Recipe can be doubled.