Thanks. That looks pretty easy to follow. I saved it. One question though.....where do you get fresh yeast? Does Walmart sell it? I bought the packets. Does it make a difference?
Some recipes ask you to "proof" the yeast, in which you put the yeast in some liquid, add some sugar and sometimes flour in a bowl, let it sit in a warm place, and wait to see if the mixture produces bubbles (that means the yeast is alive and growing). Let me know if you want to get information on doing that and I will find it for you. Most recipes can be modified to let you put the proofed yeast mixture into the dough with the liquids and continue the directions from there.
I am excited that you want to learn to bake bread! I just realized that I learned how to make bread back in the 1970s, and it's neat to share my knowledge. It's very rewarding and different from store-bought bread. Yummm!
Every grocery store sells ordinary yeast, which I've always had fine results with. Get regular Fleishman's Yeast or Red Star Yeast, straight from the grocery store in those little packets (three packets sold together - unless you're an oddball like me always buying organic, sugar free products at Whole Foods).
She does use an unusual method to prove the yeast. Usually you do that in a separate bowl to ensure that it will grow and not waste your bread ingredients on dead or stale yeast. She asks you to put the ingredients in a well in the dry ingredients. I'd take the yeast, a quarter of the milk and a quarter of the sugar and proof it in a separate bowl. Wait ten minutes to see if it bubbles, then if all is well, put the yeast mixture in the flour well and continue from there adding the rest of the milk and sugar to the flour mixture.
Good thing bread is so forgiving.
Please let us know if you have more questions. Granny, any additional thoughts, or have I missed anything?