Homemade French Bread

1 1/4 cups warm water (not hot)

1 Tblsp. yeast

1 Tblsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon juice

3-3 1/2 cups Better-For-Bread flour (you have to use the better-for-bread flour or else this bread won't turn out the way that it should)

2 Tblsp. water

1/2 tsp. salt

Place water in mixer, then sprinkle yeast over water.  Let stand for 7 minutes.  It should be all foamy when you get back.  Add sugar & then wait another 7 minutes.  This will activate your yeast & let the bread rise to form into a better loaf.  Add all remaining ingredients except for remaining 1/2 cup of the flour. Mix until the dough starts to come away from the bowl & is no longer sticky.  If it's still too sticky then you'll need the last 1/2 cup of flour.  Remove dough from mixer, form into a large ball & place in an oven-safe dish.  Cover with a dishtowel, place in your oven with the light on (but don't turn on the heat!) & let it rise for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven & roll into a rectangle, as you would for cinnamon rolls.  Roll into a loaf & pinch all seams closed.  Place roll onto a tin foil-lined cookie sheet, cover with dishtowel again & let rise for another 45 minutes in your oven with the light on.  After it's risen for the 2nd time, brush the loaf with the salt & water glaze.  Once you've glazed the loaf, take a knife & make 3 large, diagonal slices on the top.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, depending on how dark you like your bread.  For softer bread, wrap the loaf inside the dishtowel as it cools.  For a more crispy, outer crust, just cool on a cooling rack.  This bread can store up to 3 days.

OK, I'm not much of a bread-baker at all.  Let me say that just one more time; for years & YEARS, the thought of baking any type of bread has just intimidated the heck out of me.  I don't know why because I LOVE any type of homemade bread, but the thought of making any from scratch just scared me, especially when I was a newlywed.  However, when my sister Elena, who is the queen of bread-making, brought this yummy French bread to dinner for Easter, I knew I had to conquer my dough-head fears (pun intended) and try it.  Tyler even turned to me & said, "You are going to get this recipe, aren't you?"  :)  This is SO much better than the loaves you pick up at any grocery store.  It gives you the option of making it soft or harder on the outside, yet it's always soft & delicious on the outside.  This recipe wasn't difficult at all.  You may want to add this to your "must-try" recipe list.  :)