Bread machine settings – 1.5 or 2 pound loaf, light color and “basic” bread setting.

Soften the butter in your microwave.

Unplug your bread machine.

Remove the bread pan from the unplugged bread machine (so when you add the ingredients, they can not accidentally spill into the machine).

Pour the milk into the bread pan and then add the other ingredients. Place the bread machine yeast in last and the yeast should not touch the liquid or salt (until the bread machine is turned on and the ingredients start to be mixed together by the bread machine). Put bread pan with ingredients back into unplugged bread machine.

Plug in bread machine. Enter the correct settings (for either 1.5 lb or 2 lb loaf version) and press the "start" button.

When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, unplug the bread machine and remove the bread pan from the bread machine.

Remove the bread from the bread pan and place the bread on a cooling rack.

Optional - Right after you remove the hot bread from the bread pan and place it on the cooling rack, you can use a pastry brush to brush a very light coat of melted butter on the top of the bread. This creates a more golden crust and adds even more buttery flavor. This works best when the bread is still hot.

After removing the bread, don’t forget to remove the mixing paddle if it is stuck in the bread. Use oven mitts as the mixing paddle will be very hot coming out of the bread machine. Or wait until the bread is completely cooled and then remove the mixing paddle.

Let the bread cool on the cooling rack for 1-2 hours before cutting.