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Oatmeal bread

Oatmeal bread

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 / 2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons salt

4 tablespoons butter

4 cups boiling water

2 ( 1 / 4-ounce ) packages active dry yeast

1 cup warm water 9 to 10 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and butter. Pour the boiling water over the top and mix. Let cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add to the oat mixture. Add enough bread flour to make an elastic dough and knead thoroughly until smooth.

Place the dough in a large greased bowl and turn once so it's greased lightly on top. Cover with a loose piece of cheesecloth or plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise until double (about 2 hours).

Punch the dough down, then re-cover and let rise again until nearly double (about 90 minutes). Divide the dough evenly into 4 balls and shape into loaves. Place each loaf in a greased loaf pan, cover, and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise again until nearly double (about 90 minutes).

Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 30 minutes, until the loaves are nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped.

Makes: 4 loaves