Serving: 2 Loaves
Prep time: 30 minutes plus 1 hour to rise
Cook time: 45-50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups hot water
two 1/4 ounce packages (5 teaspoons) active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg lightly beaten

In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and 1 1/2 cups oats.  Stir in hot water and let stand until lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 5 cups of flour, stirring until mixture forms a dough.
Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead about 10 minutes, adding as much as a cup of flour as necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough.  Let rest, covered with an inverted bowl 15 minutes.

Lightly oil 2 loaf pans, 9 by 5 by 3 inches.  Form dough into two loaves and transfer to pans. Brush surface of loaves with egg and sprinkle with remaining oats.  Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 375F. Bake bread in center of oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until browned and bread sounds hollow when tapped.  Turn bread out onto racks to completely cool.

This makes soft, flavorful, light oatmeal bread.