Grandma's Oatmeal Bread & Rye Round Bread

I think these were two of the best ones yet! The oatmeal bread got high reviews from two tasters and anyone else that happened to eat it. The rye bread was especially good in sandwiches. Next time I'll bake the oatmeal bread longer, since I was in a rush and it really needed a few more minutes.

The oatmeal bread is definitely a make-again recipe. I got such a great review on this one that I had to directly quote it.

"We both LOVE the bread. I like that I can put honey on it or eat it with some eggs. Sweet and savory! I also love that it is a filling bread without being too heavy. The flavor is great too. So yes, we loved this bread."



RECIPE FROM BETTER HOMES & GARDENS (R): HOMEMADE BREAD COOKBOOK (C) 1973. USED WITH PERMISSION FROM MEREDITH CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not download or re-post this recipe to other websites or blogs. More recipes available at www.bhg.com/recipes.

Grandma's Oatmeal Bread

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 C warm water
1 1/4 C boiling water
1 C quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 C light molasses
1/3 C shortening
1 Tbsp salt
5 3/4 - 6 C all purpose flour
2 beaten eggs

Quick cooking rolled oats
1 beaten egg white
1 Tbsp water

Soften yeast in the warm water. Combine boiling water, 1 C rolled oats, molasses, shortening, and salt; cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups of the flour; beat well . Add the softened yeast and 2 beaten eggs; beat well. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). Shape dough into a ball.

Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in warm place until double (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Coat two well-greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans with about 2 Tbsp rolled oats for each pan. Shape dough into loaves.

Place loaves in pans. Cover and let rise in warm place till double (45-60 minutes). Brush loaves with mixture of egg white and water; sprinkle tops lightly with rolled oats. Bake at 375 degrees till done, about 40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes if tops are browning rapidly. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves.

**My alterations - I didn't coat the loaves in oats. I don't like things falling off my bread. I didn't have eggs anyway. I used oil, flax seed "eggs" and regular rolled oats. I boiled all the water and threw in the yeast with the other ingredients once they had cooled enough. I added some gluten. I used one regular loaf pan (the size listed above) and one larger one.