One of the components of my fitness regime is trying to eat healthy - and baking bread is part of that program.  I started several years ago after my daughter took a class at King Arthur Flour and was enthused and proselytizing others.  I got hooked and when our kids gave me a big Kitchen Aid mixer, I really started getting serious.  Now I bake about once a week.

Today is bread making day -- a rather long process. Set aside about 4-5 hours to make this recipe. However, I can write,  pack book orders, go for a run, and do other activities as the bread rises, in this case three times.  I’ve settled into an oatmeal-honey bread out of one of the King Arthur bread books (they’re all great). 

It’s a good thing to weigh out the ingredients.  Start with 5.3 oz of rolled oats -- the old-fashioned kind and add 1 lb, 8 oz of lukewarm water.  Put in about 2.4 oz of honey and 1.5 teaspoons of yeast and a few tablespoons of dried milk.   Let it set for about 20 minutes so the oatmeal can soften.

The recipe then calls for 1 lb, 8 oz of high-gluten flour (I use King Arthur white) and 8 oz of whole wheat flour.  I’ll often jack up the whole wheat component, dropping back the amount of white flour, realizing my loaves will be a little more dense.  Fiddle with it, it’s not rocket science.  Add 2.4 oz of vegetable oil and 3 1/2 teaspoons of salt.  Mix for about 3 minutes on low, then about 3 on high.  Keep the dough wet and loose. 

The mixer is doing its thing as I write.  Time to check the consistency, making sure it’s not too dry, and then knead it a bit on the counter and let it start its first rise. 

These warm humid days are perfect -- in the Vermont winters it’s hard to find a place warm enough to get a good rise going.  Cover the dough with plastic and set it aside, set the timer, and let it rise for about 60 minutes.

After about an hour, fold the dough and put it back in the bowl and let it rise another hour.  Usually the second rise is a little more pronounced than the first.

Working on packing items for Thursday’s trip. First rise doesn’t look to great -- folded the dough and we’ll see what happens on the second.  So-so.

Turn out the dough and cut it into two pieces, forming two logs.  Let them rest a bit and then load them into bread pans.  I like to wet the top of the loafs and coat with oatmeal or cornmeal -- it helps keep the plastic wrap from sticking.  Cover and let set for about an hour.

Took dog on nice 40 minute run in woods will loaves were rising -- warm but breezy.  Trails drying out a bit.

After the third rise, in the pans, is 45-60 minutes underway, start oven at 460 degrees  F.  When oven is ready, heat up a cup of water in the microwave for steaming. (I use an old cast iron fry pan in the bottom of the oven.)  Carefully load the pans, and then dump the cup of water in the fry pan, trying not to scald yourself.  Close door and set timer for 15 minutes.

We’re hoping for some spring from the steam in the oven.  After fifteen minutes, reduce the temperature by about 30 degrees and bake fifteen minutes more.  Should be dark (from the honey) and the internal temperature 190 degrees or more.

Turn out on to cooling racks and leave them alone until they are cool.  Good luck with that!

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