1) In a bowl/mixer sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and add sugar.Allow yeast to begin to grow (if using rapid rise yeast, you can move on to the next step without letting the yeast grow)
2) Add shortening, salt, 7 cups of flour, and powdered milk and mix.
3) Add remaining flour in small/medium amts as needed till until dough cleans the side of the bowl as it mixes. ( It may take more than 4 1/4 cups-just add until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl)
4) Mix 10 minutes
5) Cover the dough (with greased saran wrap or a turned down plastic grocery bag) and let it rise,either in the mixer bowl or a separate greased bowl, until it doubles in size.
6) Beat down.
7) Form dough into 4-5 loaves and place them in greased bread pans.Cover ( you can use the same saran bag or grocery bag from before)Raise until almost the size loaf as desired. ( it will continue to raise a bit in the oven as it cooks).
8) Cook at 400 degrees until browned on the sides as well as the top.
9) Brush the tops with shortening while bread is still hot.