Hot Buttered Popcorn Bread

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup popcorn, to pop (about 5 C. when popped)
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 3 3/4 teaspoons yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 5-6 cups flour

Finishing Touches

• 1 egg
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Directions

1. 1

   Grease two 9x5 loaf pans (or use a pizza pan and make it a round loaf).

2. 2

   Pop the popcorn--do NOT butter!

3. 3

   Whirl the popped corn through the blender, enough to make 2 1/2 cups.(it is very fluffy); set aside.

4. 4

   In mixing bowl, mix water & yeast; let stand 2-5 minutes to dissolve yeast.

5. 5

   Mix in sugar, oil, butter and salt; blend well.

6. 6

   Add ground popcorn and 3 cups of the flour; mix well. Knead with dough hook on slowest speed--6-8 minutes, adding more flour to form a soft, bouncey dough.

7. 7

   Remove dough hook, spray dough ball with cooking spray, cover bowl with large plastic (clear) bag; let rise 60-90 minutes, doubled in volume.

8. 8

   Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter, gently punch down; divide in half and form two loaves; place in greased pans.

9. 9

   Whisk eggie and sugar & salt in a small bowl; brush top of loaves with egg wash (set egg wash aside for later); cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap, rise for 45-60 minutes, doubled in size.

10. 10

    Preheat oven to 375; brush loaves with egg wash, dust with cornmeal (optional).

11. 11

    Set in oven and turn heat down to 350; bake until golden brown for 35-45 minutes.

12. 12

    Pull bread from oven, liberally brush with melted butter; cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto rack.

13. 13

    Slice and eat. Yum!

14. 14

    LEFTOVERS: Slice and toast. Try it with garlic-honey. Oh my!