good morning...

happy monday.  hope you had a nice weekend.

i love the quiet stillness and hope found in a new day.  my first cup of coffee remains one
of the truest joys in my life.

this honey oat bread was delicious.  served toasted for breakfast or with soup for dinner.
it hearty and healthy.

honey oat bread

yields 1 loaf

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup  warm water
1/4 cup  honey
1/4 cup  melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups oat flour
2 cups  bread flour

in a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), sprinkle the yeast over the barely warm milk and water and allow to sit about 5-10 minutes until activated. mix in the honey, melted butter, and salt. gradually add oat and bread flour, mixing until the dough comes together. ff the dough is too dry and will not come together, add small amounts of water until it does, if the dough is too sticky, add flour until it becomes workable; however, do not add too much flour or the bread will become dense.
turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, or until elastic.

using the dough hook on a stand mixer, knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, or until elastic. cover dough with a damp kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in a warm place, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. punch down the dough before turning out onto a lightly floured surface. shape the dough into an even log and place in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 40-60 minutes until doubled.
preheat oven to 350 degrees F
brush the top of the loaf with warm honey and sprinkle on oat flakes. bake for 40-50 minutes, or until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. remove from baking pan and allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

to make oat flour, place either quick or old fashioned oats into a food processor and process for 2-3 minutes, or until it resembles whole wheat flour

enjoy, xo