Baking day! it’s always “best of all” No one needs to be told about the delights of yeast baking. For the family, an oven of fresh bread is a comforting fragrance nothing else quite equals. For the baker, a pound of worries can be kneaded into the dough — and cares are forgotten in the sweet satisfaction of a perfect loaf! What is a perfect loaf? When friends ask for the recipe and the family says “Please make more!” Then you know you’ve baked a “best of all” bread. Perhaps from one of these recipes? CHUNK O’ CHEESE BREAD Second Grand Prize Winner in Pillsbury’s 9th Grand Na tional Bake-Off by Mrs. Richard W. Ojakangas, Duluth, Minnesota Adapted by Ann PilUbury 1M cups water Vi cup commeal 2 teaspoons salt Vi cup molasses 2 tublespoons butter l packet dry yeast (or 1 cake compressed yeast) Vi cup warm water 4 to S cups all-purpose flour 1 pound American cheese Combine IX cups water, cornmeal and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly; cook until slightly thickened. Add molasses and butter; cool to lukewarm. Soften yeast in X cup warm water in mixing bowl. Add the corn meal mixture; blend well. Add flour gradually to form a stiff dough. Knead on well-floured surface until smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; cover. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 1 to IX hours. Cut cheese into X to Jt-inch cubes. Line two 8 or 9-inch round pans with 12-inch squares of alu minum foil, edges extending over pan; grease well. Place dough on surface sprinkled with com meal. Work cheese into dough, one-fourth at a time, until cubes are evenly distributed. Divide into two parts. Shape into round loaves, covering cheese cubes. Let rise in warm place until light, about 1 hour. Bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes. Makes 2 loaves. COUNTY FAIR EGG BREAD Senior Winner in Pillsbury’s 8th Grand National Bake-Off by Mrs. Philip Carlson, St. Helens, Oregon Adapted by Ann PilUbury Rich with eggs, this big bread recipe makes 24 moist, flavor ful rolls — and a three-part loaf of bread, too! 2 packets active dry yeast (or 2 cakes compressed yeast) to cup warm water to cup sugar .to cup butter 4 teaspoons salt 2 cups hot scalded milk to cup cold water 4 beaten eggs 9 to 10 cups all-purpose flour Soften yeast in warm water. Combine in large (4-quart) mixing bowl, sugar, butter, salt and milk. Stir until butter is melted. Add cold water. Cool to lukewarm. - wm J k ggBMBi •- , i - ** County Fair Egg Bread — This big ami hearty bread recipe makes two dozen rolls and a bread loaf. If you like, turn the portion set aside for rolls into a show-off braid as shown. Sweet Surprise Rolls — A prize-winning no-knead recipe. The rolls' texture is slightly more open-grained than a kneaded bread would he — hut what a sweet, tender crust! Oatmeal Bread is made the easy batter wau, flavored with wholesome rolled oats and molasses. So good, a slice needs nothing but butter to make wonderful eating. Prune 'n Spice Bread blends a hint of cin namon, cloves and nutmee with sweet prunes — makes a versatile loaf that toasts for break fast, takes creamed cheese for a party. Stir in eggs and the softened yeast. Add grad ually flour to form a stiff dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and satiny; 5 to 7 min utes. Place in greased bowl and cover. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, IK to 2 hours. Punch down dough by plunging fist into center, tum upside down in bowl and cover. Let rise 30 minutes. Divide dough into three parts. Shape two parts into rolls IK to 2 inches in diameter (about 24 rolls). Place on greased baking sheets and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 45 min utes. Shape remaining dough into 3 small loaves; place crosswise in greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch pan. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about IK hours. Bake in moderate oven (375°) until golden brown. 15 to 20 minutes for rolls, 35 to 40 minutes for loaves. While hot, brush with butter. Makes 2 dozen rolls and one loaf. SWEET SURPRISE ROLLS Best of Class Winner in Pillsbury’s 12th Grand National Bake-Off by Mrs. John Solomon, Long Beach, California Adapted by Ann PUlsbury 1 packet dry yeast (or 1 cake compressed yeast) V* cup warm water 1*6 cups sugar 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt W cup hot scalded milk 3 unbeaten eggs 4*6 to S cups all-purpose flour *6 cup soft butter 2 tablespoons grated orange rind *6 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels Soften yeast in water. Combine in bowl J* cup sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, salt and milk; cool to lukewarm. Stir in eggs and yeast. Add flour to form dough, beating well. Cover. Let rise in warm place until light, 2 to 2)4 hours. Roll out on floured surface to a 20 x 15-inch rectangle. Spread with )4 cup butter. Sprinkle with mixture of 1 cup sugar ancf orange rind, then the chocolate morsels. Cut into two 15 x 10-inch rec tangles. Roll up each, starting with 15-inch side. Cut each into 12 to 18 slices. Place cutside down in well-greased muffin cups or two 9 x 9-inch pans. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size (1 to 1)4 hours). Bake at 375° for 12 to 15 min utes. Remove from pans, frost while warm. Makes 2 to 3 dozen. Butter Frosting: Blend together 1)4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, X teaspoon vanilla and 2 to 3 tablespoons cream. Beat until smooth. BATTERWAY BREADS Long ago in England, a young lady by the name of Sally Lunn became famous for making a new kind o( bread. It was open-grained, light and fluffy and was called Sally Lunn. This was the first batter bread. Since Sally Lunn’s day, many more breads have been made in the same way. They are easier to do than the conventional kneaded breads. There is more liquid to the proportion of flour in a “batter way.” Brisk beating taxes the place of kneading. Because these yeast batters are thinner than doughs, they rise faster. One can make a “batter way recipe in about half the time for kneaded doughs. No shaping is necessary for yeast batters, so a new yeast baker quickly gains confidence. They’re almost as easy to mix as a cake!