WHO PUT THE PUMPKIN IN THE PUMPERNICKEL BREAD

I'm sure there are many who would describe me as "scatter brained,
bird brained or pickle brained"
but now they can add
"bread brained" to the list,
as I been obsessed lately with the wholesome goodness
of home made bread.

***This recipe makes a large (2 pound) loaf. I took it out of the pan and placed the dough into a greased bowl to rise until double in size, punched it down, shaped my loaf and placed it into a greased loaf pan and let it rise again until double in volume.

It really rose well and made a very large, light loaf of bread that certainly would not have all fit into my bread machine so I'm not sure how it would have turned out had I left it in the machine to bake.

Pumpernickel Raisin Bread
1 1/4 cups water F-90°F (27"-32"C) (or a mix of 1 cup canned pumpkin with 1/4 cup water)
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
3/4 cup raisins
2 teaspoons Caraway seeds
Place the water, molasses, oil, salt, bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, cornmeal, cocoa powder, espresso powder, yeast, and vital wheat gluten, in the order listed in the bread pan fitted with the kneading paddle. Place the bread pan in the bread maker. Press Menu and select Whole Wheat.
Press Crust and select Light (or to taste). Press Loaf and select large loaf. Press Start to mix, knead, rise, and bake.
When Mix-in tone sounds, add raisins and caraway seeds. When pause tone sounds, dough and kneading paddle may be removed. Reshape dough and
replace pan. Press Start to continue. When cycle is completed, remove bread from machine and transfer to wire rack to cool.

TOASTED OATMEAL BREAD

Whenever I find a good recipe for bread like this one, thanks to my daughter Grace, it quickly becomes a "regular" in our household. I've made this one twice already this week. It's so good it doesn't last long. Simply delicious when eaten while still warm, it is also great thickly sliced and toasted with your favorite spread.

Toasted Oatmeal Bread

This recipe is for a bread machine and makes a 2-pound loaf, but there is no reason that it couldn't be made by hand using traditional bread making methods.

1/3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
*3/4 cup milk
*1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 1/3 cups white flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast

* The directions do not say to warm the milk and water but, I mixed them together, added the butter and warmed it slightly (the traditional bread making method) in the microwave before putting it in the bread machine pan. I guess it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

Spread the oats in a shallow baking pan.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown, stirring occasionally; cool.
Add the ingredients to a bread machine according to the manufacturer's directions, adding the oats with the flour. If available, select the whole grain cycle, or select the basic white bread cycle. Remove hot bread from machine as soon as it is done. Cool on a wire rack.

***The bread pictured above was baked in the oven. I prefer the look and shape of my loaves when I form them myself for a regular bread pan and bake them in the oven so whenever the oven is being used to cook something else, I bake the bread along with it, otherwise I let it bake in the machine.

Check out another of our favorite bread recipes...Rosemary Bread