Linda's Whole Wheat or White Bread

2/3 c. warm water
1 tsp. honey/sugar
3 Tbsp. yeast
4 c. hot tap water
2/3 c. powdered milk*
1/2 c. oil
1 c. honey/sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
3 eggs*
12 c. flour (approx.)

Combine 2/3 cup water and 1 tsp. honey in small bowl. Sprinkle yeast on water and let set a few minutes. Mix dough using one of the following methods:

IF USING BREAD MIXER
In mixing bowl, combine hot water, powdered milk, oil, honey, salt, eggs, yeast mixture and 6 cups flour. Mix 2-3 minutes. Put in dough hook and 3 more cups of four; mix. Add 3 more cups of flour. Let knead 10 minutes. (After 6 of the 10 minutes, if dough is not following hook around, add more flour 1/2 cup at a time. Finish kneading.)

IF KNEADING BY HAND:
Combine in large mixing bowl hot water, powdered milk, oil, honey, salt, eggs, yeast mixture and 4 cups flour. Beat well with mixer (a small hand mixer works just fine). Continue adding flour just until you can work with dough.

Note: Whole wheat flour makes a much stickier dough than white. Knead 10 minutes. (Use and oiled surface rather than floured during last part of kneading.)

AFTER KNEADING:
Oil top of dough, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until double in bulk. Beat down and shape into 5 loaves. Put into pans greased well with shortening or Pam. Let rise again until double in bulk.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Grease tops with butter or margarine. Remove from pans at once.

*Flour may be wheat or white or a combination.
*For white bread, milk and eggs are optional. Linda prefers sugar since honey turns the bread dark.
*** I should also add that when I make the wheat bread, I add 1 Tbsp. each of gluten and dough enhancer when I add the flour.