Braided Garlic Bread (My Favorite Bread Ever!)

1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 T or 1 pkg. dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 egg
4-5 cups flour (I do 5 cups every time and it is perfect!)

Scald milk; remove from heat and add sugar and butter. Mix yeast with warm water (stir in a tsp or so of sugar—this activates the yeast). Let yeast grow while milk/butter mixture cools. In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast and cooled milk mixture, along with the egg. Mix with bread dough hook until dough pulls away from the sides. Divide dough in half, then make three “ropes” from each half. Dip each rope into a mixture of equal parts olive oil and butter; sprinkle in garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Braid into a loaf tucking ends under. Sprinkle with additional parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Also makes great bread sticks or pizza crust.