Furniture and fresh bread totally go hand in hand

BJ and I got really lucky the other day with the free section on craigslist, as you all know. We had been keeping our clothes in some very functional, and very plastic, drawers we had gotten from Wal mart. As I promised pictures of the new furniture, even though it has yet to be refinished, here you are!!! The most exciting aspect of the furniture has to be the fact that it is solid wood. So, when there is time and warm weather, a possible stain may be applied, and we're definitely getting some new hardware. In other news I accomplished a new baking feat last night. I made a loaf of honey oatmeal bread. As far as I can tell the only bad choice I made was not checking it before time. It is a little bit scorched on the outside, but just a wee. It really didn't need a full 40 minutes to cook in our oven. But, it is delicious. The husband and I chowed down on it last night while it was still warm, and it tasted heavenly. It's no surprise we ate half the loaf before we stopped and enjoyed the warm glowy feeling of good food. Yummy. I promised Kelso that I would share the recipe with her, and by the way this came from a library book called, the weekend baker. I made this in my stand mixer, but I'm putting in the make by hand instructions for others benefit. Enjoy!Honey oatmeal bread, makes 1 loaf

1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used 1 % and I don't think it suffered)
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted for glazing, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1/3 cup honey
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I love using king arthur organic flour)
1 packet instant yeast

1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Stir in the oats, the 3 TBS of butter and the salt. Cover and set aside, stirring frequently until the oatmeal is soft. (Now, I thought it would actually make oatmeal from these instructions, but the whole point is just to soften up those rolled oats. Don't despair, it takes about 20 minutes for it to soften up.) Then stir in the honey. (I have an electric kettle, so I will frequently heat some water and then pour it over my honey container to heat up and soften the honey. It makes it easier to pour and mix if it's already hot.)

2. In a large bowl combine the flour and yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. (Officially out of my territory. I used my stand mixer from here on in, but I will try to provide insight when possible.)

3. Check the temperature of the oatmeal, it should register about 120 degrees on an instant read thermometer. (I used a meat thermometer to check mine.) In order for the yeast to grow, the liquid needs to be between 115 and 125 degrees. Add the warm oatmeal to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough, shaggy dough forms. Lightly dust a work surface with a little flour. Dump the dough onto the surface. (It really does look a little shaggy. It clings to the sides of the bowl as it mixes and almost looks like shaggy hair.)

4. Knead the dough with your hands. It will be sticky at first, but resist the urge to add more flour. First, gather the dough together. Next, using the heel of one hand, push the top part of the dough away from you. Fold that piece over the dough nearest you. Give the dough a quarter turn clockwise and repeat. Keep on kneading until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, about 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. (It took 10 minutes in my stand mixer and then really wasn't all that sticky, it was kind of cool.)

5. Lightly grease a bowl and pop the dough into it. Cover the top securely with plastic wrap. The author likes to use a big rubber band to secure it to the bowl. Let the covered dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. About 45 minutes. (All right, back to my experience realm, I grease the bowl with a tablespoon or two of canola oil. Other bread recipes I have made have asked for it specifically. I roll it around the bowl until it coats the sides and then plop the dough in, rolling it over to coat it in the oil. Other recipes have told me to do this with bread dough, I think it helps keep the heat in for the yeast to grow or something. I just cover the bowl with plastic wrap and don't worry about making it super tight, just as long as it holds is fine in my book. I ran the microwave for a minute with nothing in it and then put the bowl in there, so it was nice and warm. There are alternatives though, I did something different when I had to let it rise a second time. I have heard another person sets up a heating pad on high and puts it under the bowl. Something I would love to try, but I have no heating pad. I just set a timer for 45 minutes thinking if it got a little bigger than that, it wouldn't be much of an issue.)

6. Lightly grease a loaf pan, 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches. (I use a silicon loaf pan, so no greasing for me!) Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, there is no need to flour, the dough is soft but not sticky, and press down gently to deflate it. (I got oil all over my counter, so be prepared to clean up. I think it kept the dough from sticking though, so no complaints here. You're really just trying to squish out the extra air, so be gentle and lightly press down with steady pressure.)
Press the dough into a 7-by-10 inch rectangle. Starting at the short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Pinch the bottom and side seams closed. Place the dough on the counter, seam side down, and perpendicular to you. Using the outside edge of your slightly curved palms, press gently but firmly on the bottom seam until the dough forms a smooth rectangle 8 inches long with a rounded, taut skinned top. (I realize now I should have taken more pictures.) Place the dough, seam side down into the prepared pan. Press the dough to flatten and fill the pan in an even layer.

7. Cover the pan loosely, to allow for rising, with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes. The center of the dough will rise about 1 1/2 inches above the rim of the pan. (I ran my oven for a couple of minutes on warm and then turned it off. I put the loaf in covered with the same plastic wrap I had used on the bowl, lightly as it says to keep it from compressing your rising loaf. I just set a timer again for 45 minutes and let it run.)

8. When ready to bake, position an oven rack on the middle rung. (I did this before since I wanted it to rise in the oven.) Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic and, using a very sharp knife or razor blade, cut a slit about 1/2 inch deep down the center of the loaf traveling it's length. (This will give it that heart shape on the top.) Bake until the loaf is puffed and browned, about 40 minutes. (Check it, mine was burned at 40 minutes) Transfer the pan to a rack and brush the top with the melted butter, if using. This will keep the top soft and especially buttery. (I totally did the butter glaze and it tastes really really good.) Tip the cooked loaf onto a rack and remove the pan. Set the loaf on its side and let cool completely. (I enjoyed mine by schmearing it with butter. Yum!)