Anadama Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. cornmeal
2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 c. light molasses (or dark will do)
2 envelopes active dry yeast or 1 cake compressed yeast
6 c. sifted all-purpose flour
cornmeal for topping

Preparation

Heat water, 1/2 cup cornmeal, salt, butter and molasses in medium size saucepan until thick and bubbly.
Pour into a large bowl; cook to lukewarm, about 45 minutes.
Sprinkle or crumble yeast into 1/2 cup very warm water in a cup.
(Very warm water should feel comfortable when dropped on wrist.)
Stir until yeast dissolves, then blend into cooled cornmeal mixture.
Beat in 2 cups of the flour until smooth.
Stir in 3 more cups.
Turn out onto a lightly floured pastry cloth or board.
Knead until elastic, about 10 minutes, using remaining cup of flour as needed to keep dough from sticking.
Place dough in a greased large bowl; turn to coat all over with shortening.
Cover with a towel or Saran Wrap.
Let rise in a warm place away from draft about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk (inside stove, if you have a pilot light, is perfect spot for letting bread rise).
Punch dough down; knead in bowl a few times.
Shape into a ball (or 2 smaller balls).
Press into a greased baking dish (or grease a cookie pan and just set balls on it).
Brush top with soft shortening. Sprinkle with cornmeal.
Let rise again in a warm place away from draft with Saran Wrap over top for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.