Thank you, Betty Crocker!

So, here it is. "Traditional White Bread" courtesy of Betty Crocker's Breads, 1974, and prepared by our head breadmaker on Sunday (and, as you can see above, now gone):

2 packages of active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 3/4 cups warm water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons shortening

6 to 7 cups flour

Butter, softened

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in large mixing bowl. Stir in 1 3/4 cups warm water, the sugar, salt, shortening, and 3 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about ten minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour. (Dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched).

Punch down dough; divide in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into a rectangle, 18x9 inches. Fold crosswise into thirds, overlapping the 2 sides. Roll dough tightly toward you, beginning at one of the open ends. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge firmly to seal. With side of hand, press each end to seal; fold ends under.

Place loaves seam sides down in 2 greased loaf pans, 9x5x3 inches. Brush lightly with butter. Let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place loaves on low rack so that tops of pans are in centre of oven. Pans should not touch each other or side of oven. Bake until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from pans. Brush with butter; cool on wire rack.

Obviously, this is taken from an American book, so adjust any measurements according to where you are (inches, oven temperature etc.) I don't think my Fellow Traveller followed the recipe quite to the letter, and good results were still very possible! His advice: knead it well. And if you have any questions, just let us know.