This just might be the easiest yeast bread recipe you've ever seen. You don't have to knead the dough, and you don't have to punch the dough down and let it rise again. The bread practically bakes itself. What's more, it toasts beautifully. The taste is just like store-bought English muffins at a fraction of the cost.

5 1/2 to 6 cups flour, divided
2 pkgs (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
Cornmeal

In large bowl, combine three cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda; set aside. In medium saucepan, combine milk and water and heat until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Add to flour mixture gradually, beating constantly; beat until batter is smooth. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a very stiff batter. Set aside.

Prepare two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans by greasing lightly and sprinkling with cornmeal. Divide prepared batter in half and place equal amounts in each pan; sprinkle tops with additional cornmeal. Cover pans with slightly damp cloth and let stand in warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about one to 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 400*F 25 minutes, until tops of loaves are lightly browned and loaves sound hollow when rapped with knuckles. Remove from pans at once and let cool on wire rack.

YIELD: 2 loaves