Freezer Bread

In a large bowl, combine 4 cups flour with all of the remaining ingredients (except the water). Gradually beat in 4 cups hot water (120-130 degrees F) until just blended.

Beat 2 minutes occasionally scraping bowl. Gradually beat in 2 cups flour or enough to make thick batter; continue beating 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour (5 to 6 cups) to make soft dough.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic adding flour as needed, about 10 minutes.

If you are freezing this . . . Cut dough into 4 pieces; shape each piece into ball. Place balls on greased cookie sheets; cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm. When firm, remove balls from cookie sheets; freezer wrap and return to freezer.

If you are baking the same day . . . Cover the dough loosely with a towel and let rise in warm place until slightly more than doubled, about an hour.

Shape into loaves and place into greased loaf pan or shape into rolls and place on a baking sheet. Cover, let rise until rolls have doubled or loaves come an inch above the loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow and internal temperature is at least 195. Remove from cookie sheet/pan immediately; brush top with butter and cool on wire rack

If dough is frozen . . . About 6 hours before serving, remove as many dough disks from the freezer as needed. Unwrap; place on greased cookie sheet and let stand at room temperature, loosely covered with wax paper, until completely thawed, about 2 to 3 hours. Then let rise in a warm place (80-85 degrees) until slightly more that doubled, about 2 hours. Then bake as above.

Will make 4 loaves or 24 large rolls.