Wholesome Oat Rolls

I love whole grain foods. Really it is true. None of that all white bread refined flour stuff for me. (OK maybe sometimes, like in cupcakes :) But I really LOVE to make bread and its even better when it has whole grains in it. Tonight I tried a new recipe for Oat rolls. So good! The were craggy on the outside, moist on the inside and slightly chewy. I originally used a recipe from my whole grain baking cookbook but I never follow recipes to the letter so here is my version.

Oat Rolls

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
2 tablespoons orange juice
4 tablespoons mostly melted butter (please do NOT use margarine. I will tell you why in a later post but TRUST me, it's is not pretty and definitely not healthier.)
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Heaping 1/2 cup dried potato flakes or 3 tablespoons potato flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2- 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar

Proof yeast in water with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Watch it bubble and foam. Combine all of the ingredients into mixer (kitchen aid, bread machine, or mix by hand. Whatever works for you.)Mix until you have a medium soft, smooth dough. I add my flour last because you can always put more flour in if it is to sticky but you cannot take it out once it is mixed in and way to dry. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise till double in bulk, 1-2 hours.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan

Deflate roll dough and divide into equal portions of however large you want your rolls. I did about 16 rolls. Shape dough by pulling it into a small knot at bottom and smoothing out the top. Place them in the pan so they do not touch each other. Cover and let rise another hour. They probably wont rise till double in size, don't worry it's OK.

Preheat oven to 350.

Uncover rolls until they are lightly golden brown. That took about 12 minutes for me but my oven has issues with overheating so keep checking your till they look done.
Remove from pan and serve!

Helpful Hints
If you lightly spray the tablespoon with Pam before measuring the honey then the honey will slide out like a hot knife through butter instead of making a sticky mess all over.
Using a tablespoon or two if butter brush the top of the rolls when they are hot. This gives them a soft satiny crust and makes them taste so good. Plus, you use less butter than you would to butter them while eating.

Enjoy!