Oatmeal Bread

It is 109 degrees in KS.  The heat has not been nice to our garden, our lawn, our electric bill, our chickens, or our humans.  It seems like a strange time to bake bread.  But we eat sandwiches nearly every day for lunch, so its a necessity.  This is my favorite bread to bake.  I've tweaked it a little from the More With Less cookbook.  Don't expect to be able to see the oats in the bread.  They just kind of disappear.  Its magic.  I use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook.

Aunt Marye - Do you recognize the pan?  It's Grandma Keim's.
When I make it in this weather, I feel a little like Caroline Ingalls.  Just a little.

Combine in the mixing bowl:
     1 c. quick oats
     1/2 c. whole wheat flour
     1/2 c. brown sugar
     1 Tbsp. salt (or less)
     2 Tbsp. margarine or butter or butter-flavored crisco
Pour over:
     2 c. boiling water
Stir in to combine and let batter cool to lukewarm.
Dissolve:
     1 Tbsp. dry yeast in 1/2 c. warm water
(Megan says that if you can hold your finger in the water for 10 seconds but no more, the water is the perfect temp.)  Let proof for 5 minutes and then stir into the bowl.
Stir in:
     1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
     3 1/2 c. white flour
     1/4 c. flax meal

Turn onto floured surface, and with oiled hands, knead for 5 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel.  Let it rise until doubled.  Then punch it down (this is the best part!), and let it rise again for another 30 minutes.  Cut dough in half, squash into two loaves, and place in two greased 9x5 inch bread pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Turn out of pans onto cooling rack and brush the tops with butter for a soft crust.

I could live on bread alone.  I really could.  Especially when its spread with Ryan's rhubarb freezer jam.  Here's the recipe for that:

4 c. sugar
5 c. diced rhubarb
1 large package of strawberry jello

Mix the rhubarb and sugar together and let it stand overnight.  Then boil it for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from the stove and add the jello and stir until it has dissolved.  Place in jars or ziplock bags.  Cool.  Then store in the freezer.  (You can store the container of it that you're eating from in the fridge!)

If you make your bread, I promise your kids will be this happy and loving ALL the time JUST like mine!  Ha.
at