Christmas Bread

Ingredients

 * 5 lbs flour
 * 1/4 lbs butter
 * 1 quart milk
 * 1 To 1.½ cups Sugar
 * 1 tbsp salt
 * 2 yeast cakes or ¼ pound yeast
 * 1/2 cup water or milk
 * 2 tsp vanilla extract
 * 5 large eggs

Directions

 * 1) Mix yeast, water and 1 tablespoon Sugar.
 * 2) Let rise.
 * 3) Put 1 quart of milk in a pot.
 * 4) Add ½ cup Sugar and ½ pound butter.
 * 5) Scald; don't boil.
 * 6) Take off stove to cool to lukewarm.
 * 7) Beat eggs; add remaining butter and Sugar.
 * 8) Mix well. Put flour in pan. Mix well.
 * 9) Add vanilla extract, egg mixture, milk mixture, yeast and salt.
 * 10) Knead until it falls off your hands.
 * 11) The better it is mixed the better the bread will be.
 * 12) Let stand until it doubles in size.
 * 13) Punch down. Let rise again.
 * 14) Put in five or six pans and let rise again.
 * 15) Bake at 375 °F for ½ an hour.
 * 16) Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake about ½ hour longer.