Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (105-115°F)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions:
Activate yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, butter, salt, yeast mixture, and egg. Stir until a dough forms.
Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down and shape: Punch down the dough and divide it into 1 loaf or 2 smaller loaves. Place the loaves in greased bread pans.
Second rise: Cover and let rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool: Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.