mom's award-winning country white potato bread

My mom always made excellent bread. (I call it "Award-Winning" because it won blue ribbon in the county fair!) She also made it often. Many a Sunday afternoon, we would be welcomed home from church with a savory bowl of beans and some delicious homemade bread. Mmm! I won't say we took this homemade bliss for granted, as I remember quite enjoying it every single time. But being a mother, I now realize just how much effort my mom put into feeding us, among other things. There's nothing quite as effective as parenting to make you appreciate your parents! :) Anyway, my mom recently moved up here, and I got her to teach me how to bake bread (the simplest thing, but among the most intimidating for me). Her recipe is pretty easy. Really. And the bread really is fantastic! It holds together really well, is the perfect density (you know what I mean), and tastes divine! I plan to make it again soon. And again. And again. And again...

RECIPE: Mom's Award-Winning Country White Potato Bread

*Note: This recipe times THREE made two large loaves and four mini-loaves. I believe once over it should just make one loaf. Not super sure. I'll ask. The above photo is of the mini-loaves. And yes, my photography skills are severely lacking...

Ingredients:

3 c. flour

2. Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. (or more) instant mashed potato flakes

1 egg

2 Tbsp. butter-flavored Crisco (eyeball it)

2 tsp. yeast

1 1/2 c. warm milk (can also use dry milk, just reconstitute it to make this much), less on a rainy day

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a large bowl, adding milk a little at a time (you may need more/less). Beat/knead (beat with bread hook) until well mixed and dough is slightly sticky but still pulls away from you. Put the dough in a pretty ball and place in a new, butter-greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and towel and let rise until doubled in size (1 hr ish). Then punch it down, re-knead, shape, and place in butter-greased bread pans. Cover again with towel. Let rise (again- until good lookin' - another hr?). Bake @ 350F for 30 min. or until desired color is reached.