Easy Bread Recipe

6 cups King Arthur Bread Flour
3 T sugar
2 tsp salt
2 pkgs active dry yeast
1 cup buttermilk (Bulgarian or skim)
1-11/2 cups warm water
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

Method:
In a pyrex liquid measuring cup melt butter in the microwave (approximately 1 minute). Add buttermilk to butter and heat 1 more minute in the microwave. Combine 5 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast in mixer bowl, using the dough hook attachment, stir on low to combine. On low speed add buttermilk/butter mixture to the flour. Add approximately 1 to 11/2 cups of warm tap water to make a sticky dough. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes in the mixing bowl. After resting, turn mixer on low and beat down the dough. Add the last remaining cup of flour to the mixture. I use the last cup of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl yet let it climb the dough hook. The dough should be soft. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Shape as desired. Place in buttered loaf pans or on buttered baking sheet. Let rise until doubled. Bake in a preheated 350 degree over for 40 minutes.

Test for doneness: Bread should be light brown on top and sound hollow when tapped.

Yield: 2 loaves

Cinnamon Rolls:
3 T ground cinnamon
3 T sugar
Water to make a paste

Roll out dough into a sheet approximately ½ inch thick. Apply a thin coat of cinnamon paste with the back of a spoon. Roll up dough. Pinch ends and sides. Cut dough into 1 inch wide pieces (cross section) revealing the cinnamon swirl. Place dough on buttered baking sheet or in buttered cake pan. Let rise until doubled. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Drizzle with simple icing if desired (recipe below).

Yield: 15 rolls

Simple Icing
2 cups powered sugar
2 T melted butter
A dash of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
Milk to thin

Melt butter in microwave. Add butter, vanilla, salt and milk to powered sugar to make a thin icing. Ice cinnamon rolls when cool - if you can wait that long!