From Joyce’s kitchen

Irish Freckle Bread

2 pkg. Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast 1 cup warm potato water or warm water (105°-115°F) ¼ cup lukewarm mashed potatoes 8 Tbsp. sugar 5-¼ cups unsifted flour (about) 1 tsp. salt 2 eggs, beaten ½ cup (1 stick) Blue Bonnet Margarine (gold foil package), melted and cooled 1 cup dark seedless raisins

Sprinkle Fleischmann’s Yeast into potato water; stir until dissolved. Add mashed potatoes, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth. Cover; let rise until bubbly (about ½ hour). Stir down, add remaining sugar, salt, and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth.

Stir in eggs, then cooled, melted Blue Bonnet Margarine. Add raisins. Stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough. On lightly floured board, knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down. Divide into 4 equal parts. Let rest 5 minutes. Shape each part into slender loaf about 9” long. Put 2 loaves side by side in each of two greased 9 x 5 x 3” loaf pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 40 minutes. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F) 45 minutes or until done. Makes 2 breads.