Canadian Oatmeal Bread

The long-awaited recipe:

Boil 2 c. water on stove.

Dissolve in 1/2 c. lukewarm water 1 t. sugar and 1 2oz. package cake yeast (or 3 packs dry yeast).

In a large bowl, mix:
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. unsulfered molasses (Grandma's is best)
1/3 c. butter
1 1/2 T. salt
2 c. dry oatmeal
Add your 2 c. boiling water and dissolve butter.

Add 2 c. cold water. Let cool until lukewarm (lest you destroy your yeast).

Add yeast (which should have been growing).

Add 10 c. all-purpose white flour (2 c. at a time), stirring until you have to knead. Flour your counter-top for kneading and knead in 1/2 c. more flour. (You may need even more flour than 10 1/2 c., depending on the flour you're using. Grammie Fraser only uses Robin Hood...) Knead until dough isn't sticky anymore, but don't over-knead. (This is a delicate process!)

Grease the same pan you mixed the dough in (you don't even have to wash it) and allow the bread to rise for 2 hours or until doubled. It should be in a warm place to rise, preferable a warm oven (but not too warm) and cover it with a warm, damp, breathable cloth or towel.

After 2 hours, punch the bread down then flip it over. Allow it to rise another hour. (Covered and in a warm place)

Pull dough away from sides of bowl and cut into 4 or 5 sections (or do 3 loaves side by side in 9x13 pan). Shape the loaves and put them into 4 or 5 greased loaf pans. Cover with cloth again and allow them to rise 1 hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Bake 35 minutes or until medium-brown on tops. Remove from pans immediately. Butter tops and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before eating.

As many of you know, this bread is at its absolute best straight out of the oven, slathered with lots of butter. But it's also great toasted with butter and jam. Enjoy! ...and don't be bashful about spreading the addiction! (We can all thank Grammie Fraser)