Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Stir together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Combine peanut butter, eggs, and buttermilk and whisk until smooth. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently just until the dry ingredients are mixed in.

Divide the batter between the cups, about 1/3 cup each.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

They freeze well.

My Faster No-Knead Bread

2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds
1 rounded tsp. salt
1 tsp. yeast

Stir together and add 1 1/2 cups water. Stir until blended. Dough will be very wet. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest about 4 hours at room temperature.

Lightly oil a piece of foil and place the dough on it after shaping it into a ball. Cover loosely with plastic and let rest 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 475 degrees after you shape the dough. Put a heavy covered pot (cast iron or pyrex) into the oven as it heats. I use a 3-quart pyrex dish.

When the dough is ready, remove the pot from the oven and sprinkle corn meal in the bottom. Using the foil, carefully flip the dough into the hot pot. Cover with lid and bake 25-30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 5-10 minutes more until brown. Cool on rack.

Dinner Rolls

1 cup warm milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, softened

Combine in mixing bowl. Add:

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. yeast
2 cups whole wheat bread flour

Stir vigorously for 1 minute. Add all-purpose flour until dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl. Continue adding flour until you have a manageable dough. Knead for 1 minute. Let rest 10 minutes. Knead dough, adding flour as necessary, for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in volume.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Shape dough into balls and place on baking sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

Soft Pretzels

These bake quickly so I make them for our lunch even in the summer. The kids love to help shape the dough. They aren't boiled so they aren't "real" pretzels, but they are an excellent approximation.
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
2 -2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 c. oat bran/wheat germ (optional)

Mix together. Add all-purpose flour until a manageable dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic, a few minutes. Let rise if you have time. Divide into 8-12 pieces, roll into ropes and twist into fun shapes.

You can let the dough rise on the baking sheets for up to 20 minutes if you want. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on racks