Grandmother's Bread
 

1 pkg. fresh dry yeast (fresh to be sure it's active)
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water
3 tbsp corn oil
1/3 cup dark unsulphered molasses
2 tsp salt
1 cup coarse grind yellow cornmeal
4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Using a glass or pottery bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup of the warm water. Set aside. Mix the remaining cup of water with oil and molasses. Now add to yeast mixture, and stir in salt and cornmeal.  Add flour 1 cup at a time. Keep your hands floured while you knead dough until it springs to touch. Roll into ball and place in buttered glass bowl, cover with lint free towel. Let dough rise double. Pubch it down and shape into loaves to fit two 8 ince loaf pans, or one large round dome pan. Cover and let rise double again. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for the first 10 or 15 minutes. Reduce to 350 degrees and bake another 40 minutes, until bread is golden brown. This is good with molasses and butter or honey, serve with soup or stew. Serves ten.

From Traditional Stories and Foods: An American Indian Remembers, by Joan Leslie Woodruff