Easy Raisin Bread

I remember the first time my sister-in law offered me a slice of raisin bread back in 1984 when my family had just arrived in Chicago from Vietnam. She toasted the bread in the oven with very light butter, and that was wonderful. Since then, I have developed a taste for raisin bread. For me, nothing is better than a slice of warm, slice sweet raisin bread and a cup of coffee for breakfast. What a beautiful, simple life! Even more special for me is that I can make my own raisin bread.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
Grease an 8” x 5” loaf pan with some butter or coconut oil and set aside.
Place all the ingredients as listed above except raisins and select the dough function on your machine. Press start. About 10 minutes before the kneading circle is done, add the raisins. When the bread machine rise cycle ends, remove dough from the machine and shape dough to fit the loaf pan. Break an egg and beat well. Use pastry brush to brush dough with egg. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise again another 40 minutes or until double in size. Preheat oven to 350°. Place loaf pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bread from the loaf pan and let it cool for 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy!