Sweet Oatmeal Bread (bread machine)
Source: Bread Machine Magic, Linda Rehberg & Lois Conway, St. Martin's Press, N.Y., 1992. ISBN 0-312-06914-6
Adapted by: Steohen Ciederberg

ONE AND ONE HALF-POUND LOAF
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cup water*
3 cup bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp red star brand active dry yeast**

ONE-POUND LOAF
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup water (for Welbilt machine add 1 tablespoon more water)
2 cup bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp red star brand active dry yeast for all machines

*For Welbilt/Dak machines add 2 tablespoons more water.

**For all machines except 1 1/2-pound Panasonic/National machines (use 3 teaspoons yeast) and 1 1/2-pound Welbilt/Dak machines (use 2 teaspoons yeast)

What a nicely shaped loaf this is! To enjoy this lush bread at its best, cut a thick slice and toast it.

Place all ingredients in bread pan, select Light Crust setting, and press Start.

After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on cake rack, and allow to cool 1 hour before slicing.

My tips and alterations (Steohen Ciederberg):
With the dry ingredients, I use brown sugar (in the same amount) instead of molasses and I put in two tablespoons of white sugar. Here at sea level, I find that I have to use three slightly heaping teaspoons of Red Star to get any kind of decent rise out of the dough.

With the wet ingredients, Instead of water, I add a beaten egg to milk to make up the required amount of moisture. I also sometimes add some powdered buttermilk for a nice variation. Just add the amount of powder necessary to make up same amount buttermilk as water called for. It's not necessary to mix the powder with the water I just toss it in with the dry stuff.

My next variation is going to be to add gluten to the mix and see if that will give a higher loaf. The taste of what I'm getting is great, but the texture isn't as light as I would like except near the top of the loaf.