Bacon Bread
| 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour | 1 pkg. active dry yeast |
| 10 slices bacon | 1 1/4 cups milk |
| 1 Tbs. sugar | Melted butter or margarine |
In mixer bowl combine 1 cup of the flour and the yeast. Cook bacon till crisp; drain, reserving 2 tbs. drippings. Finely crumble bacon and set aside. Heat milk, reserved drippings, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt till warm, stirring constantly. Add to dry mixture. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat for another 3 minutes at high speed.
By hand, stir in crumbled bacon and enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface & knead till smooth and elastic. shape into ball. Place in greased bowl; turn once. Coverand let rise till double (about 1 3/4 hours). Punch down; cover and let rise for another 10 minutes. Shape into loaf, place into 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf pan. Cover and let rise till double. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Brush with melted butter. Remove and cool.
