Country Oat Bread

Note/Suggestions:  Put all ingredient into the bread maker in the order listed. Set the setting to wheat bread and in a few hours you will have fresh hearty bread nutritious enough for breakfast or a midday snack.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of warm water
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 ¼ cups white wheat flour
• 1 ¼ unbleached bread flour
• 1 cup of rolled oats, plus more for top if desired
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp dry yeast

If Making with a Mixer:
Directions:

1. Sprinkle the yeast into ½ cup of warm water and let stand 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile mix together the flours, oatmeal and salt. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the yeast mixture and honey. Stir the mixture on low. Slowly add the remaining water until a stiff and sticky dough is formed.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry surface dusted with oatmeal. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until is smooth and stretchy.
4. Brush some butter or vegetable oil onto the sides and bottom of a large bowl and put the dough into the bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let the dough rest for 1 ½ - 2 hours until it has doubled in size. Punch it in the middle to deflate and then let rise again for about 10 minutes.
5. Grease the inside of a loaf pan about 8” x 4” x 2 “. Shape the dough to fit into the loaf pan. Cover again with a dish towel and let rest of about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
6. Brush the top of the loaf with water and sprinkle on some oats.
7. Bake in a 400 degree oven for one hour or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.