Hating the cold? Try this homemade bread recipe to warm you up.

Love homemade bread but hate making it? Hate “feeding” the starter and having to keep up with keeping it going? Years ago, I found this recipe in a local cookbook. I have no idea who contributed it, and I now make it from memory. It makes two bundt-pan loaves. I usually refrigerate half of it and make another loaf within a few days. Now that my husband and I are empty-nesters, we can’t even eat an entire loaf, so I share it with others. It’s best when fresh, of course, but it will keep in an airtight container for several days.

Homemade Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups of water, divided

1 cup shortening (I use Crisco)

¾ cup granulated sugar, divided

1 ½ teaspoon salt

2 pkgs. active yeast (rapid rise or regular)

2 eggs

5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

2 sticks butter, melted (one stick per bread loaf)

In a large pan or bowl (I use a large cooking pot that is abot a foot tall), dissolve 2 packages of yeast in one cup of lukewarm water to which ¼ cup of the sugar has been added. In a saucepan, mix 1 cup of water, the shortening, ½ cup of sugar, and the salt. Heat to boiling, then remove from heat and stir until shortening is melted and sugar is dissolved. Cool for about five to ten minutes then add to mixture in the large pan. Stir well with a whisk.

Whisk in two eggs, making sure they are distributed well in the mixture. Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a solid ball but not too dry.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hour for rapid rise yeast, 2 to 2 ½ for regular. After doubled, divide in half. If you are going to make just one loaf, put half in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

The original recipe calls for placing the mixture on a floured wax paper, rolling it to the thickenss of biscuitsk and cutting squares with a knife. I do it the easy way, at least for me. Melt one stick of butter in the microwave. Pinch off the dough (pieces about one inch across), dip in melted butter, and drop in a bundt pan, distributing evenly around the pan.

Cover with a towel and allow to rise 1 ½ hours (rapid rise) 2 to 2 ½ hours (regular). Preheat oven to 350. Bake on center rack for 25 to 30 minutes. I always use a toothpick and insert it at 25 minutes. If it comes out without goo on it, I remove the bread at that point.

Cool bread and turn over on a serving plate.

For a sweet variation, roll the dough balls in a cinnamon sugar mixture before placing in bundt pan for the second rising. Makes a great breakfast/brunch treat!