The bite of cheese in a loaf of plain white bread is always welcome. This bread is very close-grained, and is wonderful for toast or sandwiches — especially grilled cheese! The addition of a half teaspoon of tabasco sauce gives the bread just a hint of heat.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
To make using a bread machine: Put all of the ingredients into the bucket of your bread machine in the order designated. Program the machine for basic bread, light crust setting. Press Start.
Check the dough after about 10 minutes of kneading; it should have formed a cohesive ball, and be slightly sticky. Adjust its consistency with additional milk or flour, if necessary.
Allow the machine to complete its cycle. Remove the bread from the machine, and cool it on a rack.
To make by hand: In a large bowl, combine all the dough ingredients. Mix until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass, and then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and bouncy, about 7 minutes.
Allow the dough to rise, covered, in a slightly warm place (about 70°F is ideal) until it becomes puffy and nearly doubles in size (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
After its first rise, shape the dough and place it in an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" pan. Cover it and let it rise until it has crested the edge of the pan by about 1" in the very center.
Near the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread for about 35 to 40 minutes, until it's golden brown on top and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reaches at least 190°F.
Remove from the oven and turn out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.
Storage information: Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
