Heavenly Honey Oatmeal Bread

Our favorite bread recipe and it is sooooo very easy.
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
2 cups boiling wataer
1 pkg. active dry yeast
l/4 cup warm water (105-115)
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon butter or cooking oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
5 l/2 cups all purpose flour
milk and a little more rolled oats.

Placce the 1 cup oats into a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over oats; let stand for 15 minutes or till mixture is lukewarm. Sprinkle the yeast over the l/4 cup warm water in a small bowl, stir to mix let stand 5 minutes to dissolve. Add honey, butter, salt and yeast mixture to the oat mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Stir in enough of the flour so the dough can be handled (The oats and honey make this stickier than regular bread dough). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Knead 12 to 15 strokes till dough is elastic, but still rather sticky, adding flour as needed; don't add too much flour at a time. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place till doubled abaout one hour. Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface, as the dough should be a little sticky. Divide the dough in half. Shape each piece into a loaf. Place loaves in two greased loaf pans Cover and let rise in a warm place till doubled in size around 30 min. Brush with milk and sprinkle with additional oats.

Bake 350 oven for 45 minutes or till the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Now you will gain a pound or two and love it!!!