BREADS - PUMPKIN PIE OATMEAL BREAD

Makes two 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaves

1 ¾  cups boiling water

1 ½ cups rolled oats, plus additional for sprinkling

1 ½ cups canned pumpkin (see Note)

¼ cup warm water

1 tablespoon active dry yeast or 2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground clove

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ cup vegetable oil or softened butter

6  to 6 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, (as needed depending on the moisture of the pumpkin)

Pour the boiling water over the rolled oats.  Stir, cover, and let cool for about 45 minutes.

When the bowl of oats is cool.  Mix the yeast with ¼ cup warm water.  Set aside until the yeast foams up and ready to use.  Add to the oats. 

Add the brown sugar, salt, spices, oil/butter, and 2 cups of the flour.  Beat vigorously with a spoonula or heavy-handled spoon for 2 minutes.

Gradually add more of the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough forms a mass and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.  Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. 

Knead, adding more flour, a little at a time as necessary, until you have elastic dough and blisters begin to develop on the surface [about 7 to 9 minutes].

Put the dough into an oiled bowl.  Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil.  Cover with a tightly women kitchen towel and let rise for a bout 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide it in half.  Shape into loaves. 

Fit the loaves, seam sides down, into well-greased loaf pans.  Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes. 

About 15 minutes before the end of rising, preheat the oven to 375F.

Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes or until they are browned and shrink slightly from the sides of the pan (the internal temperature should reach 190F).

Immediately remove the bread from the pans and cool on a rack.

MY NOTE:  To use fresh pie pumpkin or butternut squash,  split open, clean out the seeds and roast at 375F for about 30-45 minutes, cool and use.  It should be thick and not too wet. 

From One Pink Giraffe Road.