There's nothing like the aroma ...

of fresh baked bread, warm from the oven, dripping with real butter, to separate the real women from the wanna-bes.

I baked Dilly Casserole Bread this evening when I got home from work. Right now it's sitting on the counter, cooling for 15 minutes just like the recipe said. I'm only waiting to cut into it to prove I can.

The question is can I wait the whole 15 minutes?

I wouldn't make book on it. I can already hear it calling my name, a seductive whisper now, but I know soon it will be shouting, mocking me, daring me to ignore the directions, and live wild.

Uh, I gotta go. Here's the recipe - see how long you can hold out .

Dilly Casserole Bread

2 – 2 2/3 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 – 3 tsp instant minced onion
2 tsp dill seed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 cup small curd creamed cottage cheese
1 egg
2 tsp margarine or butter, melted
1/4 tsp coarse salt, if desired.

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, onion, dill seed, 1 teaspoon salt, baking soda and yeast; mix well.

In small saucepan, heat water, 1 tablespoon margarine and cottage cheese until very warm (120 to 130°F.). Add warm liquid and egg to flour mixture; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.

By hand, stir in remaining 1 to 1 2/3 cups flour to form a stiff batter. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85°F.) until light and doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.

Generously grease 1 1/2 or 2-quart casserole. Stir down batter to remove all air bubbles. Turn into greased casserole. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover dough. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped. If necessary, cover with foil to prevent overbrowning.

Remove from casserole; place on wire rack. Brush loaf with melted margarine; sprinkle with coarse salt. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

Food Processor Directions: 1. In small bowl, soften yeast in 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115°F.). In food processor bowl with metal blade, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, onion, dill seed, 1 teaspoon salt, baking soda and 1 tablespoon margarine. Cover; process 5 seconds. Add cottage cheese and egg. Cover; process about 10 seconds or until blended. 2. With machine running, pour yeast mixture through feed tube. Continue processing until blended, about 20 seconds or until mixture pulls away from sides of bowl and forms a ball. (If dough does not form a ball, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.) 3. Carefully scrape dough from blade and bowl; place in lightly greased bowl. Cover; let rise. Continue as directed above.

Leona Schnuelle Crab Orchard, NE Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest 12, 1960, $25,000Bake-Off is a registered trademark of General Mills ©2006; 2006 © and ®/™ of General Mills