Honey Oat Bread and Beef & Rice Soup

In my Kitchenaid mixer book is a recipe for honey oat bread that has become the go-to favorite for perfectly delicious loaves every time.  Since we have a lot of honey (we get gallons of raw honey from the bee farmers who keep bees near our alfalfa fields) and oats (one of our main crops), it makes sense to use those fresh and local ingredients in our bread.  This recipe also works if you substitute granola cereals or other grains for the oats.
Print Here!
Heat in small saucepan or in measuring cup in microwave until butter and honey melt (but not so hot as to kill your yeast -- do not boil):
1 1/2 cups water
1/2  cup honey
1/3 cup butter

Place this in mixer bowl (with dough hook) and add:
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast (2 packets)
Stir until dissolved.

Stop mixer, add the following and mix on setting 2:
5 1/2 cups unbleached unbromated organic white flour
1 cup rolled oats (not quick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Knead on setting 2 for 3 minutes.

Turn out and knead briefly on floured board until dough is smooth and elastic.  Place back in mixer bowl, lightly grease the top of the dough and let rise in a warm, humid place until doubled in size.  When doubled, punch down dough, turn out onto board, divide in half and roll into 2 rectangles, the length of your bread pan.  Roll up and place in 2 lightly greased bread pans seam-side down.  Raise again until doubled (I preheat the oven during this stage).  Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until loaves are dark-golden and sound hollow when tapped.  Makes two loaves.
On this rainy day we will enjoy a loaf of this bread fresh from the oven, served with homemade Beef & Rice soup.

Beef & Rice Soup~  Printable Version
In large soup pot over medium high heat for 1/2 hour, boil:
10 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
2 pounds beef stew meat (I cut it up into bite sized pieces)
1/2 cup long grain rice, uncooked
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Reduce heat to simmer and add:
3 red potatoes, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced (today I used a frozen pepper strip mix)
1 teaspoon better-than-bouillon (or a beef bouillon cube)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Pinch cayenne
Simmer, loosely lidded, 3 to 4 hours over low heat.  Stir occasionally.  Serve with hot bread.