Loaded Potato Bread

This is a hearty, moist potato bread loaded with bacon, onions and cheese. A definite man pleaser! Eat toasted or plain, a favorite with tomato soup, or slice thick for a wonderfully delicious sandwich bread.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mashed potatoes (boil potatoes, then mash, reserving water)

3 - 4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

3/4 cup water (from boiled potatoes)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsps instant yeast

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup diced, cooked bacon + 1 tbs bacon fat

1/2 cup diced cooked onion

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Dice and boil yukon gold or similar potatoes in water. Drain well, and reserve water. Mash potatoes. In a large bowl or mixer combine the mashed potatoes, yeast, salt, bacon fat, sour cream, potato water and 2 cups of flour. Mix together until all ingredients are combined. Add bacon, onion and cheese. Continue to add flour just until the dough falls a ball and holds its shape. It will still be quite sticky. Place in a well oiled bowl and cover.  Let rise until double, about 1 - 2 hours. Remove from the bowl and shape into two loaves. Let rise again until double, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, put your baking stone into the oven and preheat oven to 425F. Slash top of loaves and put into oven on your baking stone. Bake at 425F for 5 minutes. Lower heat to 350F and cook for 30 minutes longer, or until a nice golden brown.

Tips and Tricks:

• If you don't have a baking stone just take a cookie sheet or cast iron frying pan, and line it with parchment paper. Let preheat in your oven as you would your stone.
• Let your dough rise on a piece of parchment then just slip it onto the stone, parchment and all.
• You can make this bread in loaf pans. Just form the loaf to the size of the pan, butter the inside of the pan, and cook as above.
• Wash with a beaten egg right before putting the loaves into the oven and they will shine.
• For added zing, dust the top with garlic salt.
• A meat thermometer will tell you the inside temperature of a loaf of bread - it's done when it reaches 185-195F
• The measurements for the bacon, onion and cheese are approximate. Add more or less to please your own taste.
• You can also substitute, for example, diced pepperoni, sundried tomatoes and slivered basil, or ham and swiss cheese with chives. Get creative!