Delicious White Bread

This recipe comes from the Pillsbury Complete Cookbook, by way of my friend Verna. Verna's bread ROCKS! It's moist soft and perfectly delicious. This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread. If you get 18 slices from a loaf (yeah, good luck), then each slice has 90 calories.

5 to 6 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups water (Verna uses 1 cup water, 1 cup milk)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix well. In small saucepan, heat water (and milk, if using) and oil until very warm. Add warm liquid to flour mixture, blending at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in additional 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
2. On floured surface, knead in 1/2 to 1 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees) until light and doubled in size (45 to 60 minutes).
3. Grease two 8x4 or 9x5-inch loaf pans. (Verna uses glass pans.) Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough in half; shape into loaves. Place in greased pans. Cover; let rise in warm place until dough fills pans and tops of loaves are 1 inch above pan edges (30-35 minutes).
4. Heat oven to 375. Uncover dough. Bake 40-50 minutes (Verna says it's more like 25 minutes) or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from pans and place on wire racks. Brush with melted butter. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.

Breadsticks

After first rise time, punch down dough and shape into 32 eight inch breadsticks. Place on greased cookie sheets and brush with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake at 400 for 14 minutes. (I haven't tested the time.)