Mom's Oatmeal Bread

This is a slightly sweet bread stemming from the kitchens of a church in a backwater town in Ohio. Every year the women of the church would gather to make bread for a religious ceremony and every year the aroma of this bread would fill the church hall. You'll enjoy not only eating this bread, but making it also.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 1  cup quick oats
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 2  tablespoons margarine
• 5  cups white flour
• 1  package dry yeast
• 1  pinch sugar
•  water

Directions

1. Combine oats, brown sugar, whole wheat flour, salt and margarine.
2. Pour 2 cups or boiling water over combination and stir.
3. Dissolve 1 package of dry yeast into 1/2 cup warm water.
4. (Adding a pinch of sugar here will help the yeast to start rising on its own.) When batter is cooled to lukewarm, add yeast.
5. (If it burns you, it will kill the yeast.) Stir in 5 cups of white flour.
6. When dough is stiff enough to handle, turn onto floured board and knead for 5-10 mins.
7. Place in greased bowl, cover with damp tea towel, and let rise until doubled.
8. Punch down and let rise again until doubled.
9. Shape into 2 loaves in 2 greased 9x5x3" pans.
10. Bake at 350F (177C) for 30-40 mins or until top is golden brown colour.
11. Cool on rack.
12. Brush loaves with margarine for a soft crust.