Prep Time: 45 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 16 slices per loaf

Ingredients

1 cake compressed yeast (2 ½ teaspoons, or 1 package active dry yeast) 
½ cup lukewarm water (105- 115°F) 
½ teaspoon granulated sugar 
½ cup shortening 
½ cup granulated sugar 
1 egg, beaten 
1 ½ teaspoons salt 
2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to 105-115°F 
8 cups sifted* flour (the less flour used the better the bread) 

*Sifting flour was common practice in Ida's day. Today, simply stir flour, spoon into measuring cup and level off. 

Instructions

1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water, stirring in the ½ teaspoon sugar. Let stand 45 minutes (5 minutes for active dry yeast). Cream shortening with ½ cup sugar; add egg, salt, cooled milk and yeast. 
2. Stir in flour a little at a time until dough is stiff enough to knead. Knead for 10-15 minutes until elastic. Place in greased bowl and let rise until double. Knead and let rise until double again. 
3. Divide and shape dough in 2 or 3 greased pans. Cover with clean, damp towel. When doubled again, bake in preheated 375°F oven for 35-40 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Based on all-purpose flour, at 16 slices a loaf, 3 loaves a recipe, each slice has: 106 Kcal, 2 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 30 mg potassium, 70 mg sodium, 0.5 g fiber (TDF). 

Notes

Kansas Wheat Commission Test Kitchen Note: This recipe comes from President Dwight D. Eisenhower's mother, Ida.

Ida's Note: For whole wheat bread, use just enough white flour to handle when kneading.