I am a cookbook collector! It is really hard for me to resist adding a new one to the collection, but I do try to pace myself and be selective because I like to control my clutter. My favorites are the really old ones. I especially enjoy the ones that have fancy recipes for entertaining. I love reading about the special care that is taken for dining and bringing together a full wonderful meal. It is also a real treasure if I can find a cookbook that has a canning section filled with yummy and unique pickle recipes, or a candy making section with beaten fudges or divinities.
Farm Journal Cookbooks
In my collection I have several cookbooks from the Farm Journal. These are incredible cookbooks compiled from authentic country cooks and filled with tried and true recipes. The five that I own were published during the ’50’s, ’60’s and ’70’s. Every recipe I have ever tried out of these books has been a keeper! A recipe that I go back to again and again is this yummy oatmeal bread recipe. I use old fashion oats and (of course) use sorghum in place of the molasses. This is also a great recipe to add some flax seed meal if you are using that as a supplement. Another attribute is that it is a no-knead bread recipe, great if you are running tight on time! This recipe can be found in the “money-maker” recipes section of the Farm Journal Country Cookbook.
Molasses Oatmeal Bread
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 to ½ cup molasses (or sorghum)
- ¼ cup shortening
- 1 tbls. salt
- 2 cup boiling water
- 2 pkgs. granular yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 8 cup sifted flour
Combine oats, molasses, salt, shortening and water. Set aside to cool. Sprinkle yeast over warm (110 degree F) water. Stir to blend. Add to molasses mixture. Stir in flour, in two additions, mixing well. Place in large greased bowl, cover and set in a warm place until doubled, about 1 ½ hours. Punch down. Allow to rise until doubled two more times about 30 minutes each.
Divide dough into 3 portions. Knead each portion. Form into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise until doubled.
Bake in a hot oven (425 degree F) 10 minutes. Reduce heat and finish baking in moderate oven (350 degree F) 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans at once. Brush tops of loaves with melted butter and cover lightly until cool. Makes 3 loaves.
Mmmm, warm out the oven I can’t resist slicing off an end and slathering it with butter. A fresh loaf of homemade bread compliments most every meal. For dessert I just made a simple vanilla pudding using my son’s own goat milk (I will share more about this in a later blog) and my mom’s fresh eggs with their deep golden yolks. Do my sons realize how decadently we live? No, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
