This being the second time I've baked bread, I decided to try my childhood favorite.

Anadama Bread (from www.anadamabread.com)

Ingredients

½ c. coarse cornmeal
2 T. butter
2 c. boiling water
1 tsp. salt
½ c. unsulphured blackstrap molasses
1 pkg. dried yeast
5 c. unbleached flour

Making it

1. Stir the cornmeal slowly in water the boiling water and let steam over a double boiler for a minimum of one hour. You can make it up and let it sit overnight.

2. Add the butter, molasses, and salt.

3. Cool a bit. When lukewarm, add the yeast dissolved in warm water.

4. Add enough flour to make a stiff bread dough.

5. Knead for 10 minutes

6. Turn into a greased bowl covered with a damp cloth and let sit for 1 - 1½ hours until double in bulk.

7. Shape 2 loaves and place in 2 greased medium bread pans; let rise until double in bulk.

8. Bake in hot 400 degree oven for 1 hour. Note: I baked it @400 for 30 minutes and then 350 for another 20.  

I have a container of Molasses that I bought about 4 years ago.  I keep it at room temperature in a closed container.  There is nothing detectably wrong with it, and I use it baking occaisionally, but I am wondering long it will still be good?

Colin