Cathy's Extra Good Bread

Ingredients:

Dissolve 1 tbsp. dry yeast and 2 tbsp. sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Let stand 45 minutes.

• Add and stir in (I use bread hooks on electric mixer):
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Salt (about 2 tsp.)
• 1 egg
• 8 cups flour (I use 1 cup oat bran, 1 cup whole wheat and 6 cups bread flour, but you could vary the types and amounts of flour)

The last cup of flour may need to be worked in by kneading. Continue to add flour and knead until dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Cover with saran and let rise in a large, oiled bowl until double. (Alternative: let rise in the refrigerator overnight; slower rising seems to create a finer texture.) Punch down the dough and shape into 3 loaves. Place loaves in oiled bread pans and allow to rise until double. (This takes about 1 - 2 hours at room temperature, or you can let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight.) Turn on the oven; set temperature at 400 degrees and immediately place the bread in the oven. After 15 minutes, change the temperature to 375 degrees, and continue to bake for 20-25 more minutes.