Oatmeal Bread – 1st try; spring sunshine

I saw a post on Facebook the other day commenting on the fact that everyone in the world (apparently) is baking bread. People who have never baked before are nursing sourdough starters on their kitchen counters.

The only thing worse than the toilet paper shortage is the flour shortage.

The author went on to posit that people are baking bread because:

• It’s comfort food.
• They have the time, now, to do it and it makes them feel useful.
• The smell of freshly baked bread is worth the effort when confined to one’s house
• There may be more reasons but I grew bored…..

I am happy to report that none of those reasons apply to me.

Bread is necessary food but doesn’t qualify as comfort food for me (Soup, risotto, pasta, yes…)

I have less time now than normal – it’s spring… stuff is growing and needs to be trimmed or needs to be planted or, or, or…

The only reason, absolutely only reason, I am baking bread is because I would rather bake it than go into the crowded little bakery to buy it.

I can pick up my groceries at the drive-thru but not bread.

Sadly, the flour shortage still applies….

This was my first attempt using the flour and oats I had on hand. Needless to say the original recipe was modified,

Click here to Pin Oatmeal Bread

Oatmeal Bread

Print Recipe

This was a sticky dough and I had to add a bit of flour at the end when I was doing the final kneading and shaping.It was a bit sweet and made excellent toast. This makes two 9 X 5 loaves

• Author: KateLZ
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 2 loaves 1x
• Category: Bread

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups (360gr) whole wheat flour
• 2 cups (280gr) white flour
• 1 cup (80gr) oatmeal
• 3 tbs brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbs yeast
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 2 cups (480ml) milk, lukewarm (105F, 41C)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) water, lukewarm (105F, 41C)

Instructions

• In a large bowl combine water, milk, sugar, yeast, egg and whisk or stir well.
• Let rest 5 minutes.
• Add flours, oats, salt and stir to combine, or mix with dough hook for 2 minutes.
• Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Continue to mix or stir for another 4 minutes. Dough will be tacky. 
• If it’s too soft and sticky to handle, turn out on lightly floured surface and knead by hand, adding a bit more flour, just until it can be handled. It will not become smooth. (I added about 2 tbs.)
• Form into a ball and put into a lightly oiled bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an 1 – 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
• Butter or oil two 9 X 5 loaf pans.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half.
• Flatten each half into a rectangle, then roll into a log. Place in loaf pan.
• Cover bread with oiled plastice wrap and let rise for an hour, or until bread is 1 inch above pan.
• Bake bread in a pre-heated oven 350F (175C) FOR 35 – 40 minutes. Bread should sound hollow when tapped (internal temperature 190F)
• Remove from oven, remove bread from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

I buttered the loaf pans, then put parchment paper on the bottom to make it very easy to get the loaves out.

Keywords: bread, oatmeal bread

In other news my potager is now ready and has radishes, Swiss chard and lettuce planted along with the onions and shallots that went in 2 weeks ago.

Mon mari has repaired the mower and the field is getting cut.

The sun was particularly beautiful on the wisteria tree the other day.

I try to stop and smell the flowers in these crazy times.

The wisteria is humming at the moment with all the bees and smells fantastic.

Next – Oatmeal Sandwich Bread, 2nd attempt.