Easy Oatmeal Bread

Makes 4 small loaves

2 cups rolled oats
3 cups boiling water
½ cup molasses
2 packages active dry yeast
3 ¼ to 3 ¾ cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt

In large bowl add water to oats. Cool to 120 to 130 degrees. Stir in molasses and yeast. Add 2 cups bread fl our; mix thoroughly by hand or with dough hook. Mix in whole wheat fl our, salt and enough bread flour to make a soft dough. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Knead with dough hook or turn dough onto floured surface; knead 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.

Form into 4 loaves* and place in 7½x3½ x2-inch pans coated with nonstick spray. Let rise 1 hour or until doubled. Bake in preheated 450-degree oven 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped with fingers. Tent with foil during last 15 minutes to prevent over browning. Remove from pan to cooling rack.

*Or form into 2 loaves and place in 9x5x2½-inch pans. Bake an additional 10 minutes at 350-degrees.

Nutritional analysis: With 12 slices per loaf, one slice provides approximately: 78 calories, 3 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g fat (0 saturated fat, 0 trans fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 25 mcg folate, 1 mg iron, 148 mg sodium.

Courtesy of the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee