In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Add salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour. Beat till smooth. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Cover dough and let it rise for an hour, punching it down if it reaches the top of the bowl.
Divide dough in half. To form loaves, roll each half of the dough into a rectangle about 13 inches long. Then roll it up tightly lengthwise (like you would with cinnamon rolls, just without the cinnamon). Seal the edges by pinching together tightly
Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place the loaves on the cookie sheet and let raise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
Brush the tops of the loaves with water and make diagonal slashes on top using a sharp serrated knife.
Bake at 375° for about 25 minutes or till lightly browned. Brush tops with butter if desired.
Notes
If you are not using instant yeast, you will need to let the water, yeast, and sugar sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.