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1
Combine the milk and water and heat to almost boiling. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 teaspoons of the sugar and salt. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar to the yeast and stir in 1/4 cup of warm water (110 degrees); let stand for 10 minutes until the yeast mixture is puffy and expanded. If it doesn't puff up, your yeast is dead and your bread will not rise.
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2
Add the milk mixture, the yeast mixture, and the oil to the flour mixture. Include any add-ins you like here. Stir the mixture together well. It should be soft and somewhat gooey but use additional warm water if needed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean dishtowel. Turn off the oven and set the bowl inside the oven to rise, about 1 hour, leaving the light on. This oven procedure will help to speed up the rising process, without damaging the yeast.
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3
Generously spray a 4.5 to 6 quart sized covered Dutch oven with non-stick spray. When dough has doubled in size, deflate it and turn it out into the prepared Dutch oven. Cover and keep warm to let rise a second time, until doubled, about 25-30 minutes.
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4
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bake the bread in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, remove, uncover and bake another 10 to 12 minutes, or until top is nicely browned. Carefully turn the bread out onto a cooling rack.
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5
Optional Add-ins: 1 tablespoon of crushed dried herbs (rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, hard cheeses (cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, swiss etc.) about a cup, cut into very tiny cubes, or grated, using the large holes on your grater, cooked chopped bacon or pepperoni, 1/4 cup of pickled, chopped jalapenos, 1 small jar of pimentos, well drained, 1/4 cup of well drained and rough chopped olives - stuffed, green, black, Kalamata, whatever kind you like. Use your imagination.
