This leftover oatmeal sandwich loaf is the perfect loaf to make for your regular weekly sandwich bread. Full of whole grains made with half whole wheat and leftover cooked oatmeal. Sourdough is our favorite, but this is our go to loaf when we need a quick yeasted bread for toast or sandwiches. I also seem to always have a cup or two of leftover oatmeal to use up, anyways, so this is a regular in our rotation!

While I am typing this, it is currently -17*F. SEVENTEEN BELOW ZERO. Yes, it’s colder here than in Antarctica right now! (It also happens to be summer in Antartica, but what does that matter?LOL) There is just nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking on a cold, blustery, winter day. We are all cozied up by the fire practicing our best Hygge. The extra heat of the oven is certainly welcomed, as well.

What you’ll love about this leftover oatmeal sandwich loaf

1. It’s a super easy and forgivable sandwich loaf

This is the most forgivable loaf! I have made this recipe wrong quite a few times and it stills turns out scrumptious and I have to fend off my kids from gobbling it up too fast! I have over risen both rises, over baked it, added too much oatmeal or flour and it has still turned out decent enough to be tasty

2. Such a great way to use up leftover oatmeal

I don’t know about you, but in a family of 11 I make a BIG OL’ pot of oatmeal on such cold mornings as we’ve ben having up here north in Montana. Some mornings my kids aren’t as excited about that pot of oatmeal as I expected and so I end up with extra cups of it tucked away in the fridge for our favorite uses. I make leftover muffins, banana bread and this loaf regularly now. I have even used oatmeal that has a bit of flavors in it and the bread only tasted yummier! Bonus- extra fiber and whole grains while adding moisture for a velvety texture.

3. A sandwich loaf with hearty whole grains AND a luscious texture

Speaking of velvety texture, this loaf has it! Even when’t I’ve messed it up it still has a sliceable, smooth, nutty and rich flavor. I have never had success with a loaf that slices well consistently, but this one does. I think because it is a shallower loaf instead of being baked in a bread pan and getting too high. The lower height lends itself to not getting too airy and crumbly.

4. This bread is not complicated and easy to make a weekly staple

I can whip this bread up in 20 minutes and the rest of the time is just resting, with some shaping. It really isn’t complicated at all, and neither are the ingredients. It has a great texture without all the complicated dough conditions or additions other than the flour and oatmeal. I always have these staples on hand and can bake up a loaf whenever I have leftover oatmeal to use.

What you’ll need for this Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

Ingredients

(The recipe was inspired and tested from this recipe)

The basic ingredients are simple.

You will only need:

2 cups of whole wheat flour (I use fresh milled Prairie Gold wheat berries)

2-3 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I love Montana Wheat company)

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 1/4 cup warm water

2 Tablespoons honey

1 cup leftover cooked oatmeal (I’ve used quick and regular whole oats successfully)

2 tablespoons light oil- such as avocado oil (can substitute with softened butter)

Extra 2 tablespoons of butter for basting after baking.

Basic tools you will need

• Kitchen stand mixer (optional)
• Parchment paper
• Bread basket or banneton for rising (optional)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• I love using a dough whisk when mixing the dough by hand
• Baking Stone (not neccessary but helpful)
• Lame or razor blade for scoring

Steps for this Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

1. The wet ingredients- To a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the honey in water and sprinkle the yeast over and let sit until creamy. (5-10 minutes) Add in the oil and oatmeal.
2. The dry ingredients- Meausure your flours by loosely scooping and leveling each cup. Mix well between each addition. Add the salt with the flour. An additional 1/2- 2 cups more all purpose flour might be needed. The dough should be a bit sticky still, but pulling away from the sides of the bowl when kneading. The amount of extra flour you will need depends on how moist the oatmeal you added was as well as the humidity, barometer etc.
3. Kneading- Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface to knead by hand for 5-10 minutes. Alternately, you can change to a dough hook and mix in the stand mixer on low for 5-10 until you can stretch the dough and it doesn’t tear easily.
4. First rise- Remove the loaf from the bowl and lightly oil the bowl or spray with cooking spray. You can then add the loaf back to the bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double. Check after 1 hour.
5. Final rise and shaping– Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and shape ball as you tuck the sides under and roll around on the counter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or bread bowl. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk. Check after 30 min. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F after 30 min.
6. Bake– Score the loaf with a lame or razor blade. Place your loaf with the parchment paper on a cookie sheet or baking stone. Bake your loaf at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Your loaf should be deep golden brown and a flick to the bottom should produce a hollow sound. (The center should read 190 on a digital thermometer). For a shiny and soft crust, spread a cool stick of butter over the still warm crust (about 1-2 tablespoons worth).
7. Let bread cool on a cooling rack. Wrap in plastic and store in a cool dry place for several days.

Printable Recipe

Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes

A simple and forgiving loaf with plenty of whole grains, yet still yields a delicious slicebale loaf with velvety texture!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour (I use fresh milled Prairie Gold wheat berries)
• 2-3 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I love Montana Wheat company)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 cup leftover cooked oatmeal (I've used quick and regular whole oats successfully)
• 2 tablespoons light oil- such as avocado oil (can substitute with softened butter)
• Extra 2 tablespoons of butter for softening after baking.

Instructions

Steps for this Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

The wet ingredients- To a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the honey in water and sprinkle the yeast over and let sit until creamy. (5-10 minutes) Add in the oil and oatmeal.

The dry ingredients- Meausure your flours by loosely scooping and leveling each cup. Mix well between each addition. Add the salt with the flour. An additional 1/2- 2 cups more all purpose flour might be needed. The dough should be a bit sticky still, but pulling away from the sides of the bowl when kneading. The amount of extra flour you will need depends on how moist the oatmeal you added was as well as the humidity, barometer etc.

Kneading- Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface to knead by hand for 5-10 minutes. Alternately, you can change to a dough hook and mix in the stand mixer on low for 5-10 until you can stretch the dough and it doesn't tear easily.

First rise- Remove the loaf from the bowl and lightly oil the bowl or spray with cooking spray. You can then add the loaf back to the bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double. Check after 1 hour.

Final rise and shaping- Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and shape ball as you tuck the sides under and roll around on the counter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or bread bowl. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk. Check after 30 min. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F after 30 min.

Bake- Score the loaf with a lame or razor blade. Place your loaf with the parchment paper on a cookie sheet or baking stone. Bake your loaf at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Your loaf should be deep golden brown and a flick to the bottom should produce a hollow sound. (The center should read 190 on a digital thermometer). For a shiny and soft crust, spread a cool stick of butter over the still warm crust (about 1-2 tablespoons worth).

Let bread cool on a cooling rack. Wrap in plastic and store in a cool dry place for several days.

As always, thanks for joining me here!

The post Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

Today I am delighted to share this easy no knead sourdough loaf. This cranberry orange combination is slightly sweet, and mildly flavored with orange essence. Even my non cranberry fans love it! It actually pairs lovely with a savory dish, lending some slight sweetness and tang. The tart orange and sweet cranberry is the perfect compliment to the sourdough flavor. A simple way to dress up your standard loaf and give it a fancier feel, yet easy enough for a weeknight meal.

What you’ll love about this cranberry orange sourdough loaf

Cranberry orange is my favorite scone flavor. I had an inspirational idea one year to fold the same components into my sourdough loaf. The result was fabulous and paired so well with a savory soup- particularly butternut squash soup. We’ve been enjoying it in the fall and winter regularly ever since.

Dried cranberries lend a sweetness, without being overly sweet, and add just a little bit of tartness. The orange essence is deeply developed with just the zest. No juice is needed in this recipe. The zest and the leaven work together and allow the flavors to develop and permeate the loaf as it proofs. The dried cranberries also will swell a bit as it proofs lending them a softer more palatable less chewy texture.

Although I have been baking with sourdough for over 10 years now, converting my old stand-by recipes has been a slower process. It has only been in the last 5 years that I have been comfortable with the longer leavening loaves. I used to shy away from the fully leavened loaf and just stayed in the territory of discard quick bread recipes. Boy, was I missing out! These sourdough loaves are so easy and the flavor is unbeatably rich. I just need to plan enough time is all.

The benefits of sourdough

If you’re here reading this recipe, chances are you have treaded into the sourdough territory already, and know it’s many benefits. But in case you don’t, here are a few reasons I prefer baking with sourdough for it’s health benefits, aside from the delicious flavor and texture.

1. Sourdough has been around for thousands of years.

The first discovered sourdough levain was said to be made by the Swiss in 3700 BC. However, it basically originated when farming and agriculture was established.

2. It’s full of healthy bacteria that makes the wheat more digestible

Even though there are many probiotics present in the starter, they are not there after the high temps during the bake. But there’s good news because of that! Those little probiotics get to work during the proof and actually break down the phytic acid in the wheat that is hard for humans to digest.

3. Vitamins and minerals become more absorable.

Because the phytic acid binds to vital minerals and nutrients that are found in wheat, when the sourdough breaks it down, those nutrients become more bioavailable to our bodies. Good news indeed!

4. Lowers the sugar and gluten content in your baked goods

When your starter is mixed with fresh flour it has a party eating away at the gluten and sugars found in it. This means you consume much less gluten and sugar the longer your sourdough ferments, as those little probiotic bacteria are a hungry bunch!

It’s really not that complicated. Once you have a starter, all that is required more than any other type of baking is a bit more time. So, don’t let it scare you away. If you’ve done any yeasted baking before, you have all the experience you need. Go find yourself some starter. Or make your own! Just some folding and resting is what else you’ll add. Nothing less complicated than that. I actually prefer to do this for my breaks, too- fold and rest.

What you’ll need for this Cranberry orange sourdough loaf

Ingredients

The basic ingredients are simple.

You will only need:

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Zest from 1 orange

3 cups all purpose unbleached white flour

1/2 cup fed and active Sourdough starter

1 cup room temp water

2 teas. salt

All of the ingredients get mixed up the night before and left to develop overnight.

Depending on where you’re at in your sourdough journey, you can use your favorite sourdough rustic loaf recipe with the additional cranberries and zest added.

If you are a beginner, here is the easy no knead basic recipe that I started with until I gained confidence to branch out into more complex recipes. There are more steps to a fuller higher air pocketed loaf, but I don’t want to scare any beginners away at this point. You can still achieve a lovely tasty loaf with minimal hands on time.

This recipe is simple. There is some time that needs to pass, but the hands on time is quite minimal.

Basic tools you will need

• (Optional) kitchen stand mixer,
• Parchment paper
• Enameled Dutch oven or cast iron pot with lid
• Parchment paper
• zester or small grater
• measuing cups and spoons
• I love using a dough whisk for the the first mix

The Steps

The night before

Combine all the ingredients together and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid. It might be shaggy. You can mix it in a stand mixer if you prefer, but you don’t need to get it perfectly stretchy. The dough will develop with time in the fridge. Let rest and ferment overnight in the fridge- up to 18 hours.

The next day

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it around into a ball as you tuck it under creating tension on the exterior of the loaf.

Place onto some parchment paper and lightly cover with flour and let rest for 2-4 hours.

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When getting close to bake time. Put your dutch oven into your oven with the lid on and preheat to 450*.

When oven is hot, score your loaf with a sharp razor edges, focusing on the curved top edges and center. Just make some light marks.

Open your oven and take the lid off the dutch oven. Pick up your dough with the parchment paper and place inside the pot. Place lid back on- tucking paper in.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid, turn down temp to 400* and bake another 10 min.

Remove loaf to a cooling rack and let cool before slicing.

Printable Recipe

Cranberry orange sourdough loaf

Yield: 1 loaf

This cranberry orange combination is slightly sweet and essences with a delicate orange flavor. It pairs lovely with a savory dish, The tart orange and sweet cranberry is the perfect compliment to the sourdough flavor. A simple way to dress up your standard loaf and give it a fancier feel, yet simple enough for a weeknight meal.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• Zest from 1 orange
• 3 cups all purpose unbleached white flour
• 1/2 cup fed and active Sourdough starter.
• 1 cup room temp water
• 2 teas. salt

Instructions

1. THE NIGHT BEFORE: Combine all the ingredients together and cover the bowl. It might be shaggy. You can mix it in a stand mixer if you prefer, but you don’t need to get it perfectly stretchy. The dough will develop with time in the fridge. Let rest and ferment overnight in the fridge- up to 18 hours.
2. THE NEXT DAY: Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it around into a ball as you tuck it under creating tension on the exterior of the loaf.
3. Place onto some parchement paper and lightly cover with flour and let rest for 2-4 hours.
4. When getting close to bake time. Put your dutch oven into your oven with the lid on and preheat to 450*.
5. When oven is hot, score your loaf with a sharp razor, focusing on the curved top edges and center. Just make some light marks.
6. Open your oven and take the lid off the dutch oven. Pick up your dough with the parchment paper and place inside the pot. Place lid back on- tucking paper in.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid, turn down temp to 400 and bake another 10 min.
8. Remove loaf to a cooling rack until cooled.

As always, thanks for joining me here!

The post Easy Cranberry orange sourdough loaf appeared first on A Legacy In Days.