Homemade Oatmeal Bread

Good morning! I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your family.  My honey gets to come home for a three day weekend and I can't wait. I know it's close to sweetest day and all but I'm going to buck the trends here and post something not so sweet today.  I posted some pics of my family on my sidebar from last year.

check out more recipes from Colleen's blog

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Bread

2 C milk
2 C old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
1/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. shortening
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
5 C sifted flour  all purpose
1 egg white
1 Tbsp. water

Scald milk; stir in 2 c rolled oats, brown sugar, salt and shortening.  Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.  Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve.  Add milk mixture and 2 C flour to yeast.  Beat with electric mixer on medium speed scraping down bowl occasionally, 2 minutes or beat with spoon until batter is smooth.  Add enough flour a little at a time to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl.  Turn onto a floured board; knead until dough is smooth and elastic 8-10 min.  Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough to grease top.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch down and let rise again until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.  Turn onto board divide in half into 2 round balls.  Cover and let rest 10 min.  Shape into loaves and place into loaf pans.  Let rise again until almost doubled, about 1 hours and 15 minutes.  Brush tops of loaves with beaten egg white mixed with Tbsp. of water and sprinkle with rolled oats.  Bake in moderate oven @ 375 about 40 minutes.  If bread starts to brown cover top loosely with foil.  Makes 2 loaves  It's very yummy!

**Make sure you allow plenty of time as this bread calls for 3 risings!

Have a great weekend!

Carey