Whole Grain Oatmeal Rolls or Bread

After dough has risen

Whole Grain Oatmeal Bread

Yum!

It was fun making this bread. The taste of it reminded me of the bread that I love at the restaurants that has oatmeal on the outside of it. It was fun to find a whole grain bread that had the same flavor. I am guessing the the bread at the restaurant is not all whole grains. Its just a hunch. I will be making this again soon. :) It took a little time to make it, but the end result was worth it. :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 C honey
2 T butter or coconut oil
1 1/2 C water boiling water
2 C warm water (about 110 Degrees)
3 1/2 tsp yeast
1 T honey
1/4 C chia * optional
2 eggs
6 1/2 to 7 C Whole Grain Four (I used 4 C wheat & 3 C Spelt )
1 T salt
1 1/2 C rolled oatmeal (for the outside of the loaf)

Directions:

1. In a metal bowl pour in oatmeal, honey and coconut oil or butter. Then pour over boiling water. Stir until all mixed then put aside and let cool till room temperature. (You could start the soaking process the night before and let it sit overnight in the fridge covered.)

2. In another bowl pour in water, yeast, honey, and chia. Stir until all combined. Let the mixture sit for 15-20 min. You should see bubbles in the mixture if yeast is active.

3. Pour both the oatmeal mixture and yeast mixture into bosh or mixer with bread hook. Add the eggs and mix until all combined. Add the salt and 1 C of flour at a time until combined. (If you dont have a bread mixer you could stir all mixtures in a bowl until combined. Then pour onto floured or oiled surface and knead until a smooth consistency. 

4. Let the Bread mixer go for 3 to 4 min. Until the dough pulls away from the bowl. (But don't let it get too dry. The dough should be sticky) Let the dough rest for 10 min. Then turn on the mixer and let knead 2 more min. (With hands that have a little oil on for easier handling)

5. Then place dough in bowl that has oil on sides. Rise dough until doubles in size. Rub dough on top with oil. Cover the dough with plastic and let rise till doubles in size. (You then can deflate the dough by punching it down, and let double one more time or proceed to putting it in the greased pans. Extra rising time results in a slightly lighter bread)

6. Punch down the dough after rising process is complete. Divide the dough in half. Roll into a loaf. Pour 3/4 C of the oatmeal on to a rectangle piece of parchment paper. Spread the dry oatmeal in a rectangle, and then roll the  dough on to the dry oatmeal on all the sides.

7.  For bread place in  2 greased bread pan. (9x5x3) Cover with plastic. Again let it double till it is 1 inch over the bread pan. 

8. For rolls form into balls and then roll the rolls into dry oatmeal that is on the wax paper or parchment paper. 

7. Heat the oven to 400.

8. Bake for about 45 min. Till the internal temperature is 200 degrees. Should be a nice golden brown when all done.

9. Rub the bread or rolls with butter if desired, it keeps the crust soft. Place the bread on it's side (Keeps the loaf from falling) on a wire rack to cool. If it lasts that long. We love to eat it when it is warm.

Perfect Light Whole Wheat Bread

I love seeing the way the light hit the bread. Light is such an amazing thing. I love light and the beauty that it brings to things. My life is filled with light. My favorite is a blue sky day with lots of sunshine. :)

It is my baby's birthday today. He isn't a baby anymore. He is taller than me and turning 16 today. We went through some serious health issues with him when he was 2 weeks old. We are so very glad that he had more to accomplish in this life and got to stay. He blesses our lives by his example. (As do each one of my children.)

The years just keep going by. My family that is living at home is shrinking too. My daughter is graduating in a couple weeks and moving on to great adventures. We are excited for her. That will leave us with only 1 child home out of 7 children. I am lucky because 5 of them live close by, so we get frequent visits which we enjoy very much. We have a treat for a couple days having my oldest son visiting from San Diego. It feels like a family reunion. (We wish his sweet wife could have come too.) It is wonderful to see each  child get their wings and fly and accomplish great things. One of my daughters gave me a sweet card when she graduated that had butterflies on it that said. "Thanks for the wings." I have always said to them that my parents gave me wings to fly, and I want them to have wings too. I will admit that I do shed some tears each time we move to a new chapter but, I do try to enjoy today and the great things that are happening. I am at the stage of life now where my children are my teachers. I learn more from them than they learn from me. I love that they have a great time together, and choose to spend time together on their own. That is success. They are my friends as well as my children. I have a wonderful husband that is my ice cream in my sundae of life. (I should say my wheat in my bread of life :).  He is so very good to me. Life is just good!  My life revolves around my family.  

So back to the bread. I made this yesterday and it was fantastic. I actually just used whole wheat this time. I will have to try it with some mixed grains next time. My husband loved it. I hadn't been as happy with some of the bread I had made lately, but this was wonderful! It was light but not too light. It just had the perfect mix. :) I hope you enjoy it too!  

Ingredients:
6 C hot water
2/3 C honey
2 T sea salt with iodine
2/3 C coconut oil
5 T lecithin granules  * Optional (Dough enhancer makes bread lighter)
2 T plain yogurt
3 T yeast
14-15 1 /2 C  Whole wheat flour (about 10 C of wheat kernels)

Directions:
1. If possible grind the flour right before making it. Fresh flour is always better and healthier.
2. Pour the water, honey, salt, oil, lecithin, yogurt. Blend together in the bread mixer. 
3. Pour in 2 cups of flour and knead for a couple minutes,  and then add the yeast.
4. Continue to add the flour one cup at a time until the dough no longer is on the sides of the bowl.
5. Knead the dough 10 minutes on high.
6. Then let the dough rest 5 or 10 min.
7. Then I weigh the dough according to my pan sizes. I made 2 -1 1/2lb and 2- 2lb and a mini loaf.
8. Pound each section on to the counter to get the air bubbles out. I put some oil on my hands.  Roll each section  into a ball and put int the pan. I push it down in and push down on the sides to make it a little higher on top.
9. Place in oven set at 170 degrees. Let the dough rise until it reaches 1 inch over the top of the pan.
10. Turn the oven up to 350. Leave the bread in the oven. The bread should be done in about 25 min.
11. Take out of the oven. Rub some butter on top if desired. Cool on cooling racks.
12. Enjoy today!

Sweet Words: My 3 year old grandson was over yesterday and asked for a slice of this bread. He is a VERY picky eater so I was thrilled he wanted something healthy. So I cut him a slice and asked him if he wanted butter or jam on it. This was his reply. "He said, No, this is very special bread this doesn't need butter or jam." He knew how to make grandma smile. The world would be such a sad place without children. (I agree with him I ate a piece yesterday with nothing on it and it tasted so good. :)