Oatmeal Soda Bread

This looks delicious and doesn't require yeast or rising time. It comes from "Old Fashioned Home Baking" from Better Homes and Gardens. If you'd like to make it Raisin-Oatmeal Soda Bread, you can add 2 TBSP brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon into the dry mixture and add 1/3 c raisins (or dried currants or chopped dried apricots) into the buttermilk mixture.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1 2⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup  quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3  tablespoons margarine or 3  tablespoons butter
• 1  beaten egg
• 2⁄3 cup buttermilk or 2⁄3 cup  sour milk
• 1  beaten egg

Directions

1. Grease a baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in margarine or butter til mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Make a well in center of the dry ingredients. Stir together one beaten egg and buttermilk or sour milk, then add mixture all at once into the dry well. Using a fork, stir just till moistened. (Dough will be sticky at this point).
4. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Quickly knead dough by gently folding and pressing dough for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is barely holding together. (The recipe says until nearly smooth, but mine never really got smooth because of the oatmeal.).
5. On the prepared baking sheet, shape dough into a 6-inch round loaf. On the top of the loaf, cut a 4-inch cross, 1/4 inch deep. Brush with the remaining beaten egg (or, if you want a more rustic look to your loaf, skip this step). Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheet and serve warm. Can be eaten with soup, stew, applesauce, etc. It is a relatively dense bread, so do not be afraid at how heavy it feels when you lift it off the baking sheet.