This is a bread machine recipe for a wonderfully chewy, nutty, hearty oatmeal bread. It features PowerBar (TM) Energy Gel as a key ingredient. As with most bread machine recipes, this one is highly adaptable. So, grab your favorite flavor energy gel and experiment!

Step 1: The Recipe

3 cups white bread flour
1/4 cup rye bread flour
1-1/4 cups lukewarm water (for Welbilt/Dak machines add 2 tablespoons more water)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 vanilla PowerBar Gel packets (1.44 oz. each)
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon yeast

Step 2: Press the Start Button!

Sure, you could hand mix, hand knead, and manage the rise cycle of the bread on your own time. Then you could start your oven, set the timer, and bake this bread using the more traditional method. But with a bread machine, it's a snap. Place all ingredients into the bread pan, select the light crust setting, and press start.

Step 3: Helpful Tips

1.) Remember that bread flour has more gluten than all purpose flour. This helps your bread rise. If your bread doesn't rise well make sure you're using fresh yeast.

2.) When you put the ingredients into the bread machine, make sure to keep the salt (especially wet salt) away from the yeast before pressing the start button.

3.) I typically spray non-stick cooking spray on the bread machine motor shaft before reinstalling the mixing paddle. This makes clean up a cinch.

4.) If you have trouble with breads rising too high and covering the inside of the lid with a doughy mess, wrap a layer of tinfoil up there. Next time you have an over-ambitious bread, cleaning the machine will be much easier.

5.) Bread machines were all the rage a few years back. Now you can pick up gently used machines from garage sales for as little as $2.00.