Oat Rolls

I found this great recipe in the 2006 Taste of Home cookbook. I love it because it uses up my huge stash of oatmeal. (Remember the 50 lb. bags from an earlier post!) It makes two 9 x 13 pans of rolls so it's a great one to take to a potluck or family dinner. I've also frozen them in the pan before letting them rise...my own version of Rhodes. I bake one pan and freeze the other one. This way if I'm only making them for my family we don't waste the other whole pan of them. So far it has worked every time.

OAT ROLLS

2 c. oatmeal
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. butter, cut into pieces
1 T. salt
2 1/2 c. boiling water
2 pkgs. yeast (4 1/2 t.)
1/2 c. warm water
5 1/2 - 6 1/2 c. flour
additional butter to melt on top

1. In a non-metal bowl (a metal bowl takes too long to cool off and will kill the yeast), combine oats, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Stir in boiling water. Let soak and cool to 110 - 115. Usually around 10 - 15 minutes.
2. In another bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Combine the oat mixture with the yeast in your mixer and then add 2 cups of flour.
4. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. I usually end up adding almost 6 1/2 c. of flour. It will be different depending on the type of flour you use.
5. Knead about 5 minutes with a mixer, 10 minutes by hand.
6. Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour.
7. Punch dough down. Form into small balls and place in a greased 9 x 13 glass pan. I do 3 across with 5 down=a total of 15 per pan.
8. Cover and let resie until doubled, about 45 minutes.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 mimnutes until golden brown.
10. Brush with melted butter. I like to add a lot of butter. You can also sprinkle with grated Parmesan for an interesting change in flavor.