This recipe is for breadmakers, and the order you add the ingredients is important (in my estimation; JCB disagrees except for the yeast).

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp wheat gluten
• 3 cups minus 3 Tbsp bread flour
• 2 rounded Tbsp dry milk
• 2 tsp active dry yeast

Measure first four ingredients into pan (water, oil, sugar, salt).

Add 1/2 cup regular or quick oats (can be rounded). Then I get a soup spoon and spoon two to three spoonfuls of oats into my 1 cup measure.

I put the oatmeal container aside and grab the spoon, 1/2 cup measure and the whole wheat. I fluff the flour with the spoon and spoon the measure full, then level it gently with the edge of the spoon and dump it in the pan.

Then I turn to the 1 cup measure and the bread flour. I fluff the flour and fill and level the first cup on top of the oatmeal in the bottom (the 1st cup). Dump that. Then I do a full cup of only flour (the 2nd cup). Then I measure the wheat gluten into the bottom of the cup and fill the remainder with fluffed bread flour (the 3rd cup).

Now I add the dry milk.

Then, I take the spoon and gently level the dry ingredients. I add the yeast in a pile in the center of the dry ingredients.

Put pan in machine, close lid and push start.

Variation: substitute one of those uncooked multi-grain cereals—such as those from Bob’s Red Mill (we like the 7-grain combo)—for 1/2 cup of bread flour. This yields a heavy loaf, excellent for toasting (cut thin slices), but not so pretty to look at, since it doesn’t dome up.