Oh, hello.
I want to tell you where I’ve been, but first, some housekeeping. Has anyone noticed this site performing excruciatingly slowly? Troubleshooting has brought me no clarity, but I still have some untested theories. Any observations you might have would be very well appreciated.
Now, I must tell you that I just arrived, rumpled and sleepy-eyed, from a large aircraft that bore me eastward from Arizona, where I spent the last two weeks or so in blissful internet-free (okay, fine, internet-limited) isolation. Glorious, dry, sunny Arizona, where 55 degrees feels like 75 — a place I had a hard time living in, but absolutely relish visiting every year in the middle of the ice-choked New England winter. The ride home was bumpy and loud, and upon landing we were greeted with some , and, just to make the day even worse and me even crankier, our refrigerator gaped bleakly back at us when we opened it, our voices echoing back, as if we’d called into the Grand Canyon itself: “Is there anything to eat-eat-eat-eat?
No, there was nothing to eat. And I couldn’t go to the grocery store in a state of mild hunger — we all know what happens when you do that — so I set about to make whatever I could with what I had on hand. We had a lot of flour on hand — and oats — and I was a happy, carb-stuffed girl when I rolled off to the grocery store in search of provisions.
Oat Bread
Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
This bread is dense and nutritious, but somehow light, with just a touch of sweetness from the honey. It’s great for toasting — I eat it for breakfast with peanut butter and honey and half a pink grapefruit. Perfect. If you can’t or won’t eat it all within five or so days, freeze half so it doesn’t get stale and dry. I’ve adapted this recipe slightly for a stand mixer because I am lazy, but you can of course knead it by hand.
1/4 c. warm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. honey
2 tbs. canola oil or softened butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. rolled oats
1 c. oat or wheat bran
2 to 3 c. bread or all-purpose flour
Additional oats and bran for the top
Combine 1/4 c. warm water, the sugar, and the yeast in the bowl of a kitchen stand mixer and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, oil a 9×5 inch loaf pan and oil a bowl for the dough.
Use the paddle attachment, or a spoon, to stir into the yeast the remaining warm water, honey, oil/butter, and salt. Continuing to stir on slow, add the whole wheat flour, oats, and bran. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-low, and add the bread flour, a little less than a cup a time. You may not need to add all three cups; stop when the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Switch to the hook attachment and knead in the mixer on medium-low for about five minutes, incorporating enough of the bread flour to form a slightly tacky dough. (If it seems too dry, just add a tablespoon or so of water at a time, incorporating each into the dough with the dough hook.) You may need to stop the mixer and rotate the dough if it starts to climb up the side of the bowl. Put the dough in the oiled bowl, turn once, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place at least until it has doubled in bulk — usually about an hour — or until whenever is convenient.
When the dough has doubled in bulk, or later in the day, push down the dough with your fist. Remove it from the bowl and shape it into a loaf form, pinching the seams at the bottom. Roll the dough in the remaining oats and bran (a dry countertop or large cutting board works well), then set it in the loaf pan to rise until doubled again, about 30 – 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the loaf is golden-tan and pulls away slightly from the side of the pan.