The sun isn’t up just yet but it is to be a beautiful sunny day here in IL with a high of about 65. With a weather forecast like that today is the perfect day to hang laundry outside and open the widows and let the fresh air in. I guess I am an oddity as I enjoy hanging laundry outside, it is a quiet few moments of the day when I can have a few moments alone and gather my thoughts, plus I LOVE the way my laundry smells when it is hung out and then there is the savings of not having to pay the utility companies or use up LP or the power in the batteries from having to dry them.

My husband I went into town yesterday and did our monthly shopping; I was shocked to see how much everything had gone up this past month.  Prices just keep on rising and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. It seems to me everyone is going to have to continue to cinch those belts tighter and tighter just to cover the bare necessities.

I plan on spending some time outside today getting the lawn cleaned up and today is bread baking day here so I thought I would share a few recipes with all of you today.

Maple-Oatmeal Scones

3/4 cup currants
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Place currants in bowl, and cover with boiling water.
Whisk together flours, oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Add butter pieces, and rub into flour mixture with fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk together milk and maple syrup. Stir into flour mixture just until dough comes together. Drain currants, and stir into dough.
Transfer dough to well-floured work surface, and knead 2 to 3 times, or until smooth. Pat into 1-inch-thick square. Cut 16 scones with 2-inch round cutter, and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until light brown on top.

Heaven in the Oven Bread
6 cups hot milk (heat on the stove)
4 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
6 eggs
6 tsp salt
3/4 cup ground flax seed
1 1/2 cups old fashion rolled oats
16-18 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour

Mix everything together and kneed until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. The dough might be a bit sticky.
Cover and let rise for an hour in a warm place. Punch the dough down again and divide into 6 loaves. Place in greased bread pans.

Bake at 400 deg F for about 25 minutes. If you are using glass or stoneware pans you might have to add 5 more minutes or so. I usually use metal pans.

Oatmeal Bread

1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup quick oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar or molasses (I use molasses)
1 Tbsp salt
2 cups boiling water
2 Tbsp butter or margarine (I use butter)
5-6 cups flour

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water
2. In a large bowl combine oats, whole wheat flour, salt, sugar or molasses and margarine or butter.Pour boiling water over all and mix well. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, stir in the yeast.
3. Stir in approximately half of the flour, Turn onto a floured surface and knead in remaining flour.
4. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double. Punch down, shape into 2 loaves and place in greased bread pans. Let rise again. Bake at 350° for 30 -40 minutes, cool on rack brushing loaves with margarine or butter makes for a soft crust.

Have a wonderful Saturday!