Hot Buttered Popcorn Bread

If your family likes home-made bread, they're sure to LOVE this recipe! You'll feel like a real pioneer, too, grinding your own popped corn--move over Ma Ingalls! Eat fresh, any leftovers can be toasted for a whole 'nuther meal of goodness. Thanks to Marcy Goldman and her "Passion for Baking" cookbook--delightful! --NOTE-- cooking time includes two RISINGS!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 2 large loaves

Ingredients

• 1⁄3 cup  popcorn, to pop (about 5 C. when popped)
• 1 1⁄4 cups warm water
• 3 3⁄4 teaspoons  yeast
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  oil
• 1  tablespoon butter (optional)
• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
• 5 -6  cups flour

• Finishing Touches

• 1  egg
• 1  pinch sugar
• 1  pinch salt
•  cornmeal
• 3  tablespoons salted butter, melted

Directions

1. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans (or use a pizza pan and make it a round loaf).
2. Pop the popcorn--do NOT butter!
3. Whirl the popped corn through the blender, enough to make 2 1/2 cups.(it is very fluffy); set aside.
4. In mixing bowl, mix water & yeast; let stand 2-5 minutes to dissolve yeast.
5. Mix in sugar, oil, butter and salt; blend well.
6. Add ground popcorn and 3 cups of the flour; mix well. Knead with dough hook on slowest speed--6-8 minutes, adding more flour to form a soft, bouncey dough.
7. Remove dough hook, spray dough ball with cooking spray, cover bowl with large plastic (clear) bag; let rise 60-90 minutes, doubled in volume.
8. Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter, gently punch down; divide in half and form two loaves; place in greased pans.
9. Whisk eggie and sugar & salt in a small bowl; brush top of loaves with egg wash (set egg wash aside for later); cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap, rise for 45-60 minutes, doubled in size.
10. Preheat oven to 375; brush loaves with egg wash, dust with cornmeal (optional).
11. Set in oven and turn heat down to 350; bake until golden brown for 35-45 minutes.
12. Pull bread from oven, liberally brush with melted butter; cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto rack.
13. Slice and eat. Yum!
14. LEFTOVERS: Slice and toast. Try it with garlic-honey. Oh my!