Oatmeal Bread

I have made my own bread and buns for most of my life.  At first I did everything by hand.  Then I started to use a breadmaker.  When the children flew the coop and it was just Al and I , and I got a mixer, I started to make bread using the mixer.

I love whole wheat anything and assumed Al felt the same way until one day there was a quiet rebellion, and a request for something different.  I experimented for a while until I finally hit the right balance for our preferences and here is the recipe for our favorite bread, at least for now.


Ingredients

2 to 2 1/2 cups white bread flour
1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 3/4 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Directions

In a large mixing bowl stir together 1 cup white bread flour and 1 cup steel cut oats with the yeast.

In a pyrex measuring cup add together the water, brown sugar, coconut oil and salt.  Place in microwave on high for 1 minute or until warm.

Add water mixture to dry mixture.  Using your dough hook, stir  for 1 minute with your mixer.  Add whole wheat bread flour and 1 cup white bread flour and stir until just mixed.

Knead for 7 minutes adding more white flour until the sides of the bowl become clean.

Remove dough, shape into ball.  Grease with olive oil and place into a large bowl and cover with tea towel.  Let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down, Divide in half.  Shape each portion into a loaf.  Place the shaped dough in two greased loaf pans.  Cover and let rise for one hour, until nearly double in size.

Bake in 375 degree oven 35 minutes or till bread sounds hollow when you tap the top with your fingers.

Remove from pans immediately and place on wire racks to cool