• Mix 1 Tbs. flour, 1 Tbs. sugar, and yeast in your KitchenAid mixing bowl. Add warm water. Stir, and let it rest for about 5 min.
  1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast, mixed with 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. sugar, 2 cups warm water
• Once the yeast mixture is looking foamy and bubbly, add the sugar, oil, potatoes, and salt. Stir.
  1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes (or 1/3 c. instant potato flakes mixed with 1/3 c. water), 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Add 4 1/2 c. of flour and mix.
  5 - 6 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
• Continue kneading for a few minutes on speed 2, slowly adding more flour, as needed, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• When finished kneading, the sides of the bowl should be looking fairly clean. Drizzle a bit of oil into the side of the bowl and let the mixer spread the oil to grease the sides.
• Lightly cover the dough with a dish towel, and let it rest to rise for about an hour.
• Grease 2 (9x5") loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
• Grease your hands with butter, punch the dough down, and knead for a bit.
• Divide the dough in half. Place one half on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 8 1/2" x 14 1/2".
• Spread 1/3 cup of powdered sugar over the dough, spreading all the way to the edges. Evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cinnamon over the powdered sugar.
  2/3 cup powdered confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• Starting with the short end, tightly roll the dough, tugging gently as you're rolling to avoid air bubbles.
• Place the loaf, seam side down into a prepared loaf pan.
• Repeat with the second half of the dough.
• Cover the loaves with a towel and set them in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes, or until they have risen a bit above the sides of the pans.
• Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Bake for 30 - 35 minutes (depending on the thickness of your pan - thicker pans take longer).
• Brush the tops of the loaves with butter and allow the bread to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Enjoy a delicious slice of warm fresh bread!
• Cool and bag or place into airtight containers. (I always bag my bread while it's still slightly warm. It helps to keep it softer.)
• Freeze one loaf to keep it fresh, unless you'll get it eaten within three or four days.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread:

• To make cinnamon raisin bread, add 1 1/2 - 2 cups of raisins to the dough along with the flour.
• If desired, drizzle the tops of the loaves with glaze. To make the glaze, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons milk. Whisk together until smooth and drizzle over the cooled cinnamon raisin loaves.