Oatmeal Bread

As I mentioned in this week's Weekly Menu post, I used an Oatmeal Bread recipe for this week's bread.  I found the recipe on www.whiteonricecouple.com.  The writers of this blog, Todd and Diane,  adapted it from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce and Amy Scattergood.  I followed the recipe exactly has Todd and Diane described.  Below are some photos of my various steps.

I think I have mentioned this before, but I love baking bread.  I find it calming, comforting, and reassuring.  I also appreciate the flow of the process.  Prepare ingredients... warm milk, water, and sugar mixture for yeast ... while the yeast is doing its thing, wash bowls and utensils... add flours and salt... while the mixer is doing its thing, prepare the bowl the dough will rise in... while the dough is rising, take a walk with the dog... punch the risen dough (favorite part!)... knead, shape, and put in another pan to rise again... do something else- maybe enjoy a cup of tea on the deck or vacuum and wash the floors as I did today... pop the pan in the oven and do something else... like read a magazine or type out a blog post like I am doing now... take out bread and let it cool... do something else while it cools... You get the idea :)  Also, the smell of baking bread is like no other.  Floury, buttery, wholesome goodness.

 All ingredients are lined up and ready to go.

Ready to rise.

After an hour. 

After the punch!

Ready for the second rise.

I could have baked it for a few minutes left, but it still looks yummy!

With a little butter and jam- SO GOOD!!