cup honeyFast, easy, and wheat-free; scrumptious with soups, salads or brunches. This bread is best served warm from the oven, capped with butter, apple butter, or strawberry jam.
YIELD: ONE 9˝ PAN
2 cups quick-cooking oats
4 t. baking powder
¾ t. salt
2 eggs
½ cup raisins
cup honey
½ t. vanilla extract
¾ cup orange juice or apple juice or milk
PREHEAT OVEN TO 400° F. Combine all ingredients except the oil together with a few quick strokes.
4 T. vegetable oil
Heat 2 T. oil in a 9˝ ovenproof skillet (cast-iron works well). Pour the batter over the hot oil. Spread remaining 2 T. oil over the top of the batter.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool for several minutes, and cut in wedges. This bread is best the day it is made (but it’s so good that it hardly ever makes it to a second day!).
This bread is extremely versatile…add nuts or dried fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla; I’ve sweetened it with apple butter when I was out of honey. I’ve even enjoyed it when the oven blew a fuse halfway through baking; the ingenious cook steamed it, covered, on top of the stove!
You can make a savoury version that’s very satisfying with bean or pea soup. Substitute milk or soymilk for the juice; omit the raisins, honey and vanilla; add one cup finely diced onions, and a handful of minced fresh herbs (parsley, chives, or basil), and a pinch of black pepper; bake as directed.
