Ingredients

1 cup Milk
1 1/2 tbsp Crisco
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tbsp Molasses
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast1 1/4 cup Warm Water, ( 110* - 115*) 
1 cup Rye Flour
1 cup Cracked Wheat
4-4 1/2 cups sifted All - Purpose Flour

Scald the milk; add shortening, salt and molasses.   Cool to lukewarm.   Sprinkle yeast on warm water in large mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.   Stir in rye flour, cracked wheat, 11/2 cups of the all purpose flour and milk mixture.  Beat with an electric mixture at med speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Stir in remaining flour, a little at a time, to make a dough that leaves the sides of the bowl.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface or a cutting board and knead the dough until satiny and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Place in a lightly greased bowl; grease the top of dough.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  Punch down, cover and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes. 

Turn dough out onto board, divide in half.  Round up into balls, cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Shape into loaves and place in greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.   Cover let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.   Bake at 350* for 45 minutes, covering with foil last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning.   Turn from pans onto wire racks.   Brush down tops with melted butter if desired.