Potato Bread (take two)

I know it's a silly thing to keep obsessing about, but I make bread at least three times a week, so finding a good recipe has been on my mind lately. I like to give some away and Porter eats four pieces of toast every morning and London will eat anything with peanut butter on it. That adds up to a lot of home made goodness right there.

So my search for the perfect bread recipe continued - and I really was only searching for a recipe that would also help me use up my stash of potato pearls. After searching and experimenting I think I've found it. Since I don't want to lead anyone astray with my last recipe (really, don't use it. It was wierd.); I thought I'd share my great recipe find. This one is so good, you may want to get yourself some potato pearls just to make it. Or come over to my house and you can have some of mine.

Potato Bread

2 T sugar

4 t salt

2 T yeast

8 c flour

1/2 c water

1 1/2 c mashed potatoes (if using instant spuds, have made before adding)

1 1/2 c milk

1/4 butter

2 eggs

1. Combine sugar, salt, yeast and 1 1/2 cups flour in mixer.

2. In a 2-qt. saucepan mix water, spuds, milk and butter. Stir over low heat until 120 to 130 degrees F.

3. With mixer on low speed, slowly beat liquid into dry ingredients just till blended. Add eggs one at a time.

4. On medium speed beat 2 minutes more, scraping sides of bowl. Add 1 cup flour to make a thick batter.

5. Beat 2 minutes more and add one more cup of flour.

6. Add 3 cups flour, one cup at a time, to make soft dough.

7. Turn dough on to floured surface and knead for 10 minutes adding 1 1/2 cups flour to make a firm dough. (I let my mixer do the kneading.)

8. Let rise in a buttered bowl till doubled in size or for about an hour.

9. Punch down and turn dough on to floured surface. Divide in half and let rest for 15 minutes.

10. Form into loaves and let rise 30 to 60 minutes more. Brush tops with milk.

11. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Makes 2 loaves.

Aren't they purty?

Ok. I think I can finally rest now. I promise you won't hear any more about potato pearls or bread from me again. Maybe. At least not the pearls.