This is a very simple, very yummy bread that's made of only six ingredients: water, butter, salt, sugar, yeast, and flour. The recipe listed below makes two loaves, but it can easily be split in half to make just one.

2 cups warm water
2 tbsp sugar
1 scant tbsp yeast (scant means "not quite")
2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt

Start off with the warm water and sugar. Mix the two until the sugar's dissolved and you've got just clean, pure-looking water. Next, add the yeast. Don't stir it, just let it sit. In about ten minutes, you should have bubbling yeast: not violently bubbling, just poofing up. It should smell very yeasty.

Now add the salt, butter or oil, and three cups of flour and mix until you've got one mass. Now add another 2 1/2 cups of flour, and mix. When done, you should have a shaggy, messy looking thing. This is the dough. Take the other half cup of flour and spread it on your kneading surface, then turn your dough out onto your kneading surface and begin kneading. Knead for three or four minutes.

You should notice a medium amount of resistance when kneading this dough: it should give, but not too much.

White bread dough after kneading

You'll be kneading that extra half cup into the dough, which should be enough to give you a smooth and elastic dough, but if it still feels wet after three or four minutes, don't be afraid to add a little extra flour.

Once you have yourself a lovely, springy, sticking-together-well dough, let it rest on the counter for a bit. Clean and grease the bowl you used for mixing and set the dough in there, lightly covered with plastic wrap. Wait until the dough has doubled in size, which should be in one to one and a half hours.

Freshly baked white bread

When it's gotten all big and fat, deflate it gently and knead out any bubbles. Divide the dough into two equally sized pieces and put in a lightly greased loaf pan. Let rise again until the size of the dough has doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and pop those babies in there. Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown. BAM! Bread.