If you have two days:

BREAD AND BUTTER BASIC WHITE BREAD

We promise, this is the easiest homemade bread you’ll ever make. But feel free to substitute crusty bread from the grocery store if you are crunched for time. ½ teaspoon active dry yeast

1 cup warm (105-115 degree) water

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting

1 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon water

Place the yeast and water in a large bowl. Stir, and let the mixture rest until it bubbles, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour and the salt and mix with a fork until just combined. The dough will be very wet. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter overnight, or up to 18 hours.

Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons flour on your work surface. Divide the dough in half. Knead the dough 2-3 times into oval shapes, covering the surface of the bread in the flour.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray 2 (3-by-4-inch) mini loaf pans with baker’s cooking spray. Place the dough in the pans, cover with a clean dish towel, and let the dough rise while the oven heats.

Mix the egg and water in a small bowl and brush the egg wash on top of the loaves. Score the top of the loaves with a sharp knife. Place the pans on a baking sheet in the oven, and reduce the heat to 400 degrees. (Lowering the oven temperature helps the crust get crispy without cooking the bread too quickly.)

Bake the bread 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bread reaches an internal temperature of 205 degrees. Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool 15 minutes before removing the bread.

Makes 2 (2-serving) mini-loaves.

Per serving: 247 calories (percent of calories from fat, 7), 8 grams protein, 48 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams total fat (trace saturated fat), 47 milligrams cholesterol, 499 milligrams sodium.