Saturday, March 26, 2011

Irish Oatmeal Bread


Steel Cut Oatmeal makes for a wonderful, satisfying, warm-you-to-your-toes, breakfast.  The 1 cup of dry oats, however, cooks into far more than I can eat in one sitting, and if I'm the only one partaking on any particular day I have leftovers.  My Great Aunt Betty makes oatmeal and reheats it for a day or two afterward, which I have successfully done, but with the return of winter-like weather to our soggy San Diego coastline I found myself reteating to the kitchen to bake.  

Oatmeal Bread is one of our family favorites, and the addition of the leftover steel cut oats gives this loaf a slightly nubby texture.  Without giving me a chance to even get a single photograph my husband hardly let this loaf cool before he sliced it up and followed me into the laundry room with a couple of toasted pieces saying, "Wow... this bread is awesome, I meal absolutely awesome!  We should have it more often."

Toasted and slathered with butter or topped with sweet honey (we have some special Macadamia Hawaiian Honey from Felice, All That's Left are the Crumbs, that we have been rationing!) this oatmeal bread with added flax meal gives not only a dose of fiber and nutrition, but a delightful flavor.  The loaf does not last long, and I'm here to say it makes a darn good PBJ as well!

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On a side note, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Monet, of Anecdotes and Apple Cores.  Her sister's family has been in a tragic auto accident and our prayers for them continue. 
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Irish Oatmeal Bread

1/2 cup water
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 egg
2 Tbs butter
1/4 cup milk (I use skim)
3/4 cup prepared Irish Oatmeal
1 Tbs brown sugar (may use 2 or 3 for sweeter bread)
1 tsp salt
3 Tbs ground flax meal
3 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer mix together the water and yeast.  Add the egg, butter, milk, oatmeal, brown sugar, salt and flax meal and mix until combined.  Add 1 cup of flour and combine.  Add 1 cup more and combine.  Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes together and cleans the side of the bowl.  Knead until the dough is soft and smooth, adding flour as necessary.

Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl and cover, allowing it to rise until about doubled in size, about an hour depending on the temp of your house.  (Tip... if your house is very cool, heat a mug of water in the microwave until boiling.  Leave the mug in the microwave and place the covered bowl with the dough in the microwave and the heat from the mug will heat the microwave to a good dough rising temp!)

Preheat oven to 350º.  Place dough into an 8½ x 4½-inch greased loaf pan.  Cover the pan, and let rise until a little less than double in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.

46 comments:

  1. The loaf looks perfect! And yes, with a thick layer of honey or nutella, I am in heaven!

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  2. Wow, I am definitely going to make this. It is rare that I think making homemade bread is worth it but this one sounds more than worth it to me!

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  3. Looks perfect and so soft! I'd love to try out this recipe....

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  4. That loaf looks exactly what I would like for breakfast tomorrow. I am invited to a brunch so it might just be the perfect thing to bring to share.

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  5. That bread looks so good right now! And, that drizzle of honey looks delicious!

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  6. I was in Whole Foods just the other day and thought to myself, "I really need to start buying steel cut oats." And I just passed them up.

    This bread is really making me regret that decision! =)

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  7. Absolute perfection. I really have to try this since we love oatmeal and it's so good for you, too! Love it, too, as your recipe uses dry yeast. So easy!

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  8. I love it, and it is perfect topped off with that honey. Delightful!

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  9. Wonderful idea...love the oatmeal, love the bread....so cool:)

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  10. Yum, I love oatmeal and oatmeal bread. I would love to have some of this irish oatmeal bread! I would drizzle honey all over it. Delicious!

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  11. OK, I am going to have to come over and have you show me how to make this bread. My attempts at bread have not been overly successful to date, but this looks so wonderful I am going to try again. No need to ration the honey, you just have to say the word and more will be on its way, or you could come over and we can hit the Farmers' Market together :)

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  12. Man, this looks SO GOOD! I keep vowing to get over my apprehension regarding bread baking...it's one of my kitchen goals for 2011. Really.

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  13. This looks so good! There is nothing better than fresh baked homemade bread! I'm sure your house smells wonderful. I wouldn't be able to wait for pictures either. :)

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  14. So gorgeous! Ladies were complaining about the texture of steel cut oatmeal at my weight loss group - I KNEW they were silly! This bread looks amazing, I'm going to try it, thanks for sharing!

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  15. Oh, how I adore oatmeal bread...and yours looks terrific with the addition of flax! YUM!

    PS...love your touching line concerning Monet...I may take your lead and do the same. Her family is always on my mind...

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  16. I love oatmeal and I love that you have incorporated it into a yeast bread - it makes the best toast. I am going to have to try flax meal.

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  17. Your bread looks so soft. If I had bread as good as that in the mornings, i wouldn't be skipping breakfast...hehe

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  18. I love making bread and this bread looks incredible. I've never made oatmeal bread before but now I can't wait to try it. Yours looks so soft and sooo good!

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  19. YUMMMMIE! That looks seriously outstanding! I am such a fan of oatmeal bread, especially with my breakfast. It looks stunning Kim!

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  20. Kim, this is such a great idea. I'll have to try these at home. My husband likes to have a piece of toast with his steel cut oats each morning. It would be so neat to be able to say that the same oats are in his bread. I'll have to make extra oatmeal one morning so I can make this bread myself. :-)

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  21. Mmm, looks delicious! Thanks to Daring Bakers I'm slowly becoming more interested/less afraid of yeasty baking; maybe I'll try this recipe out. A vocab question for you though: what does "steel cut" mean in terms of oats?

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  22. Kim I'm playing "catch-up" with all of my favorite blogs and finally made it around to this fabulous recipe. Boy, does this bread look fantastic! I think there is hardly anything better than a big slice of freshly baked bread, slathered with a good butter. Delicious!

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  23. Beautiful! Oatmeal bread is one of my favorites.

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  24. I'm craving carbs like crazy and this bread will hit the spot.

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  25. I just love this post and recipe, Kim. Steel cut oats rock.

    Your bread looks particularly fluffy and delicious.

    Thanks SO MUCH for this!

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  26. Those slices are just waiting for butter, looks wonderful, will save this one :-)

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  27. I posted a similar recipe using steel cut oats a few weeks back. The bread was incredible. I like that you added a little flax. Thanks for sharing.

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  28. Congratulations on the Top 9 Today! Your bread is gorgeous, and I'm sure that it tastes divine.

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  29. Congrats on the top 9. It was time to do something else with those steel cut oats. Thanks for sharing.

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  30. Congrats...lovely bread no wonder there is a bread fever going on..with your bread... I am wowed by your bread photo...how not to have this bread fever creaze :)

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  31. Wow! That bread looks awesome... I'm going to try it for sure! Congrats on making Top 9! :)

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  32. Congrats on Top 9 today Kim! I love making home made bread and this bread looks fantastic! I am going to have to make some for sure! I love how you always add the flax or wheat germ to your recipes! Love it! Thanks for sharing another great recipe!

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  33. I'm bookmarking this wholesome bread to make, now that I finally have a stand mixer! Thanks for sharing the recipe and congrats on the Top 9!

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  34. Very creative! Am gonna have to give this a try, love making bread these days.

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  35. This bread looks so light and hearty at the same time. I love the idea of the honey. I'm going to have to get me some of that. Gloomy weather always makes me want to bake.

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  36. You can tell its a recipe I love. I'm making a second loaf less than 24 hours later.

    And spot on, putting honey on it.

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  37. Yay!!! Steve I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I had sort of forgotten about it, but your comment had me making a loaf of my own.

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  38. The bread sounds so perfect! Will try this very soon, I also love oatmeal bread!

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  39. What is the purpose of the ground flax? Is there anything I can use in place of it? I only have a walmart near me, and I know for sure they don't carry it. The closest store that would have it is an hour away. Haha gotta love living in the middle nowhere.

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    1. I add flax meal simply to boost the nutrition!! You could use oat bran, wheat germ, or leave it out all together and simply add a little extra flour. I'm always looking to add bits of nutrition where I can to get it into the kids... and my husband!

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  40. So has anyone tried to make this with GF steel cut oats? Just curious. Thanks!

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    1. Mom in the Moon... I've made it with gluten free oats with no issues!!

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