Amish White Bread- Baking with my babies

     This morning my husband asked me if I would mind making some Amish White Bread. That's kind of my thing ! I was excited to make it for him and excited to teach my kids how to make it. They've made it before but now that they are older it will be awesome for them to do it again with me. :) We went ahead and made up the dough and had it sitting and rising and then they went to their grandparents so I figured that they got the most important part in :)

     I love cooking with my kids. When they were itty bitty I would just have them in the kitchen with me. As they got older they would want to help and there is always a little job they can do, even if it is something like - can you help mommy get the spoon out of the drawer ? That is an important job ! As they get older they get bigger jobs. Would you like to help mommy stir the batter ? Would you like to help mommy pour this cup in ? They love it as long as you keep it really upbeat and positive :) Praise them for every little thing they do ! Make it just a normal happy thing. They will grow up enjoying that time with you. Even my son still likes to cook with us. My husband loves to cook also and our big thing is we need a bigger kitchen for me and my husband and three teenagers !!!

     This is a picture of where I grew up. Tuscarawas County Ohio. Right beside Holmes County which is the biggest Amish settlement in the country. I grew up loving everything about the Amish and especially love the cooking ! Amish White Bread was one of the first things I learned how to make and I love it. I really enjoy telling the kids about the background of the recipes I make. They know that Amish White Bread is because of where mommy grew up. We make yellow rice and chicken because of Nana growing up in Florida and loving the cuban type food. They love cooking with their Grandma Kaylor and they enjoy making homemade noodles and mashed potatoes with their Great Grandma Odie.

Ok here is the recipe I use ! It's so easy !!!!

                 Amish White Bread 
                  Makes 2 Loaves

               INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups warm water about 110-120 degrees
• ⅔ Cups white sugar
• 1½ Tablespoons yeast
• 1½ Teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place sugar and water in bowl
2. Sprinkle with yeast and let dissolve 5-15 minutes
3. Add salt, oil and half the flour mix together.
4. Add remaining flour. Stick your hands in their and knead and mix it up good ! Thats the best part! 
5. You can put it on a lightly floured surface and knead it that way also if you'd like, get some aggression out on it ! 
6. Place in greased bowl flipping to cover both sides.
7. Top with saran wrap or damp warm towel
8. Set aside and let rise till doubles in size. About 1 hour I like to keep it on the stove :) I use a vintage pillowcase to cover it because it just looks pretty and happy ! 
9. Remove cover and punch down.
10. Lay out on lightly floured surface and cut in half.
11. Flatten out into rectangle and "jelly" roll into a loaf- pinch the ends together or fold them like a burrito :) 
12. Place in greased 9x5 bread pans.
13. Repeat with other half.
14. Cover and let rise till double in size about 30-50 minutes.
15. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I keep the bread on the stove while the oven preheats. 
16. Once double in size bake for 25-30 minutes.
17. Pull out and brush top with butter
18. Let it cool a bit in the pan before moving it to cooling rack