Ruby's Anadama Bread

2 cups boiling water 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons shortening 1/2 cup molasses

1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1 package active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water 5 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
In a large bowl, slowly pour boiling water over cornmeal, stirring to blend well. Add shortening, molasses and salt, stirring to blend. Cool until lukewarm. Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup warm water and stir until dissolved. Add yeast/water mistxture to the lukewarm cornmeal mixture. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead well. Place dough in a greased bowl. Turn dough over so greased side is up. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until dough is doubled in bulk. Punch dough down and shape into loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and let rise again until dough is doubled in bulk. Bake in hot oven (400°) for 1 hour (according to the recipe, but I would watch it closely after 30 minutes.) Brush top of loaves with melted butter.

Notes:
This recipe was given to me by a dear lady, Mrs. Ruby Junker, Sr., who has now passed away. Her daughter-in-law's name is also Ruby Junker and both attended our church, so they were known as Ruby Sr. and Ruby Jr. to avoid confusion. Ruby Sr. was one of the most naturally, genuinely friendly people I have ever met. The love of Jesus just shone through her. She was over 80 years old when I met her in 1993, and this was her mother's bread recipe, so surely it's safe to say that the recipe is at least half a century old and probably much older than that.