And yes, I am still playing with sourdough starter even though active and rapid-rise yeast are both dependably back on grocery store shelves. There is just something about the tang of sourdough bread that leaves me almost giddy. I love it, that’s all there is to it! And you know, once you’ve fallen in love, it’s difficult to direct your heart (or as in this case – your taste buds) in another direction. So despite having several wonderful sourdough bread recipes in my hip pocket, I continue to mess around with other people’s perfectly wonderful recipes to come up with exactly the flavor and texture combination my spoiled taste buds are after. And then I can’t just keep my new recipe to myself. Oh hell no! I have to keep posting new bread recipes so you will know that I am spending my time wisely even though I really should just call it good and be happy with the great recipes I already have on hand. But that’s just not how this old gal functions. It’s ever onward striving for a bread that’s just a little bit better than the one I just baked. But I guess if I have to be obsessed with something, baking sourdough bread has to be a whole hell of a lot better than having a gambling addiction or wanting to write the definitive biography on Donald Trump! (Any obsession has got to make more sense than that!) So please bear with me.

So I made the predecessor of this bread last week. It was good, but it was too dense. (I had a lot in common with that loaf.) So I went back to the drawing board, and came up with this version. First of all, I love oat bread. Then if you add some seeds, I’m an even happier camper. So I am very happy with this version. You can toast this bread, spread it with peanut butter and jelly or slather it with room temperature unsalted butter, and it can hold its own even when plated with crispy bacon and over easy eggs. So, I have now completed my quest for my ideal sourdough oatmeal seed bread. Check that one off my list. (And yes, I do have a list. But then, I have a list for all kinds of things I know other people might find strange. For example. I am an avid reader. I now have to keep a list of the books I have read. (Should have starter this list about 50 years ago.)  And I have a menu for every dinner party, JazzVox concert, and special event we have hosted for the last 12 years. Should have started that list earlier too.)

Anyway, if you like sourdough bread with oats and seeds, give this recipe a try. It’s easy to prepare, and although there is a bit of waiting for the dough to rise, I’m sure you can find something to fill the time. You could make a list!

As always, be kind, be considerate, and be aware of what others around you are finding stressful. This is not an easy time for anyone. And if you can make it better for someone, make it happen. We are all on the same team. Team humanity.

Peace and love to all.

1 c. sourdough starter discard

2 tsp. quick-rise dry yeast (sometimes labeled as instant or rapid-rise also)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl

2 T. honey

½ c. + 2 T. lukewarm whole milk

¾ tsp. kosher salt

1 c. rolled oats 

1½ – 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ c. sunflower seeds

3 T. sesame seeds, plus more for top

Combine the sourdough starter, yeast, olive oil, honey, and milk in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt, oats, 1½ cups flour, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Using your bread hook, mix until a loose dough forms. Cover and let sit 30 minutes.

Still using your bread hook, knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. (The dough will still be quite wet when you start the kneading process, so you might need more flour. Just add as little as possible to keep the dough soft. When perfect, the dough will ball around the dough hook, but there will still be a bit of the dough stuck to the bottom of the mixing bowl. Resist the urge to add more flour.)

Pour a bit of olive oil over the dough, and using your hands and a stiff rubber spatula, roll the dough (even the recalcitrant dough from the bottom of the bowl) into a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 90 minutes. (It won’t quite double in bulk, but it should look larger and puffy.)

Roughly shape the dough into a loaf (or loaves), then place in a greased 9 × 5-inch or 2 – 7.5 x 3.5-inch loaf pan or pans. Pat the dough into the corners of the pan(s) and flatten the top(s) as much as possible.

Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray (greased side down). Let rise for 90 minutes or until the dough has just reached the top of the pan(s). At this point, pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.   (This should give your oven plenty of time to pre-heat as your bread finishes rising.)

Sprinkle the loaf or loaves with a few sesame seeds and bake for 45-50 minutes (9 x 5-inch loaf) or about 30 minutes for the 7.5 x 3.5-inch loaves or until the bread is nicely browned and registers at least 200 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Remove from oven and tip the loaf or loaves out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container.