Bread Butts back in style

Fresh out of the oven and already one loaf halfway gone. Granted, I might have eaten 2 slices myself. This is so much better than grocery store brand. No offense Arnolds. You were the best of the grocery store. The NO HFCS sold me on you. And on days that I don't feel like baking, I will be picking you up.

I baked my first loafs of bread today. I tried one recipe, but it left no doubt in my mind that it was going to suck. Still, I stuck in the oven to rise for an hour. I made another bread recipe from Fleischmanns as well, and this one rose like a champ. The first recipe landed itself in the garbage, before I even tried to bake it. It didn't even rise.

I don't really know what the issue was. The first recipe was almost exactly the same. Actually, it WAS the same. But it was also for half the amount of of dough. I don't know if cutting the recipe doesn't work, but I am thinking that it might have been the issue. Either way, I am sticking with Fleishmanns. Here is the recipe that I used:

Makes 2 Loaves

5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise OR Active Dry Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

If using Active Dry Yeast:

Place 1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°F) in a large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar; stir. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy on top. Add remaining water, milk, butter, sugar, salt and 4 cups flour. Mix well using the medium speed of an electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Punch dough down. Divide dough in half. Roll each half to 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam sides down, in greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.

To Make Whole Wheat Bread: Substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour for part of all-purpose flour.

And here is my result: