oatmeal molasses bread

4 cups boiling water
3 cups rolled oats
7 cups all purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
2 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons salad oil
1/2 cup molasses

Pour the boiling water over the oats in a large bowl and leave to cool. Stir in 2 cups of flour and the yeast. Allow to rise, uncovered, until doubled. Punch down and work in the salt, salad oil, molasses, and enough of the flour to make a smooth pliable firm dough--about ten minutes. Children cannot overknead this bread! Divide into three equal pieces and from into loaves to fit three buttered loaf tins. I brushed the top with water and pressed on some whole oats. Allow to rise again, uncovered, until doubled in bulk. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 40 to 60 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when removed from the tins and rapped on the top and bottom. Cool on racks before slicing.

Delicious. Forgiving. Toddler friendly. John baked some tiny tins of overkneaded dough with no salt, oil, or molasses and even they were good. I made this when the oven was half dead, and it still wasn't too bad. Today I'm making it in our new oven, and it should be fairly miraculous.