Food Storage Friday: Oatmeal Wheat Bread from the Test Kitchen

Every month we pick one recipe from the test kitchen to feature in our food storage friday series. This month's recipe comes from Candace.


I make all our bread. I like to experiment with different combinations. This is our favorite.

Ingredients: First - I must apologize for the picture turning out darker than it was supposed to.
Salt, powdered milk, regular rolled oats, gluten, flour, sugar, vegetable oil, yeast, whole wheat flour and not pictured - hot water.

Oatmeal Wheat Bread

I make 4 loaves at a time - so decrease by 1/2 or 1/4's to suit your family's needs.
4 TBSP yeast
4 tsp salt
3 TBSP vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered milk
3 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour (yes - I do grind my own wheat)
1 1/2 cups regular oats
4 cups hot water

Add all of the ingredients in the mixer. Cover with the lid and let it sit for about 45 minutes. This is called "sponging." It is highly recommended when working with wheat/yeast products together.
After 45 minutes -
Add: 4 TBSP vegetable oil and start adding white flour (you will end up using 9-10 cups or so).

Add enough flour and knead either by hand or with the mixer until the dough is soft to the touch without being sticky. Transfer to a large bowl sprayed with vegetable oil. Turn dough once. I like to set my bowl on the stove top. The overhead light provides the perfect temperature. Cover the bowl with your favorite towel.

Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes. Punch dough down and divide into four sections. Knead each section a little bit and shape into bread loaves. Place in greased bread pans.

Set bread loaves back on stove top to rise again. This time for 20 minutes. Once again - cover with your most favorite towel. This is an important step. That way - when you look over at the dough rising - it brings happy memories. :) While your bread loaves are rising - turn your oven on to 400 degrees. This way it will be ready to use when your dough is done rising. After 20 minutes - Place bread loaves in oven and bake for 30 minutes exactly.

Remove from the pans immediately and cool on a wire rack. And of course if you live in close proximity to your neighbors - make in the morning and open all the windows of your house/apartment so everyone can smell the wonderful aroma of fresh baked bread. And you don't have to share. Unless you really want to.
When my bread is cooled off - I place in bread bags. I keep two on the counter and freeze the other two. If you have kids like mine - you will have to repeat this process again in 4 days when your bread runs out.

This bread also makes yummy rolls. Just shape them and bake them about 15 minutes. I like to brush a little butter on my rolls but not my bread.

If you would like to contribute to the test kitchen, email us at safelygatheredin@gmail dot com.

It's Tuesday!

Every Tuesday, we post specific items you should gather in order to supplement your 72-hour kit, your 3-month supply, and your longer-term storage. If you are new to our blog, don't worry! You won't be left behind. Just start up where we are and follow along. You will eventually have everything completed! Once the 72-hour kit is complete, we'll be putting together emergency car kits again (week by week). Once those are done, we'll gather the 72-hour kits again. So don't worry, just jump on in and join us where we are today!

We're going to add a few things this week to our 72-hour kits. First of all, add a set of scriptures. It could be just a Bible, just a Book of Mormon, or both. They don't need to be really nice, leather bound copies. Just the soft cover books will do.

Also for your 72-hour kits, add a folder of personal documents. In fact, you may want to have two copies of these documents: one in mom's kit, and one in dad's. These folders should contain copies of birth/marriage certificates, wills, passports, vaccination records, credit card information, insurance policy numbers, and any other documents that are important to you. Many people don't feel comfortable storing these documents in their 72-hour kits. That's fine; keep them in a safe place for now (filing cabinet or wherever), but just make a note somewhere on your backpack (or whatever you use) to remind you to grab the documents before you leave in an emergency.

How is your three month supply coming along? Don't forget to store at least 2 weeks of water per person. Also, you should store some multivitamins as part of your food storage. Create a menu plan so that you know exactly what foods you need to store. Want a ready-made menu plan and shopping list for your entire three month supply? Read about our new e-book!

This month for our longer-term storage, we're gathering oats. Not sure how to cook with oats? Check out our recipes page for some ideas. You can also buy oats already in #10 cans from LDS Catalog. Prices include shipping.

Inspirational Thought

"And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self."

Jacob 5:23 emphasis added