Leftover Oatmeal Bread

I have been baking A LOT of bread lately. My house has been hot, but smelling good:) We eat a lot of oatmeal at our house during the week. Fast, easy healthy meal before sending the kids to school and the husband to work. Well....the other day I totally over shot the oatmeal. I don't know how, but somehow I had 2 cups of oatmeal leftover. We hate to throw out any food, so I thought I'd make some bread. Re-heating the oatmeal to eat later just didn't sound as good:) The bread turned out great! It is YUMMY and makes some wonderful cinnamon toast! Nothing makes me think of my Grandma more than hot chocolate and cinnamon toast...oh and, homemade pickles, pumpkin rolls, chocolate chip cookies....

Leftover Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 c room temperature leftover oatmeal
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 t. yeast or one envelope
• 1/4 c. molasses or honey
• 1/4 c. melted butter
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4-5 cups bread flour
• 2 t. salt

Directions: Mix oatmeal, water, yeast, molasses and one cup of the whole wheat flour until well blended. Let rest for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes add butter, the other 1 cup whole wheat flour and 3 cups bread flour. Mix well and let rest for an additional 20 minutes. Mix in salt and knead in additional bread flour until the dough is just slightly sticky, but pulling away from the bowl. I knead mine in my kitchen-aid for about 5 minutes. I dust the top of the dough with flour, cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and form into 2 large loaves or 3 medium loaves. Put into greased loaf pans, dust top with flour, cover and let rise until double, about 1 more hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your loaves.