Oats; in cookies, oatmeal, breads, and more

Sunset, Feb, 1987

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon,optional

3 cups regular or quick-cookingrolled oats

1 cup raisins, optional

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

In large bowl of an electric mixer, beatbutter and granulated and brown sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs until well blended, then mix in vanilla. Stir together flour, salt, soda, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture; stir well. Stir in oats, raisins, and walnuts until evenly moistened.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons ontogreased 12- by 15-inch baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake in a 375| oven until cookies are golden but centers are still soft, 10 to 12 minutes. If using 1 oven, switch position of pans halfway through cooking. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Serve, or store airtight up to 3 days. Makes about 4 dozen.

Tailor-made Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

Follow directions for tailor-made chewyoatmeal cookies, preceding, but decrease flour to 1 cup and omit baking soda.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons ontogreased 12- by 15-inch baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Pat dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Bake cookies in a 350| oven until well browned, about 12 minutes. If using 1 oven, switch position of baking sheets halfway through cooking. Let cool on pans for 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Serve, or store airtight up to 3 days. Makes about 4 dozen.

Quick Oatmeal-Buttermilk Bread

1 1/4 cups regular or quick-cookingrolled oats

About 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon each salt and bakingsoda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter ormargarine

1 large egg

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons buttermilk

In a blender or food processor, whirl 1/2cup of the oats until finely ground. Place in a large bowl with 1/4 cup more of the oats, 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. In a small bowl, whisk butter, egg, and 3/4 cup of the buttermilk until blended. Add to flour mixture and stir until moistened.

Scrape dough onto a lightly floured boardand knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape into a smooth round and place in a greased 8-inch round cake pan. Press lightly so bread is evenly thick and almost touches pan rim.

In a small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup oatsand 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Evenly pat oats on top of dough. Bake in a 375| oven until bread is well browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve hot or let cool on a rack. Cut into wedges. If made ahead, wrap airtight and let stand overnight; freeze to store longer. Makes 1 loaf, 1 1/3 pounds.

Oat Pilaf

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup steel-cut oats or oat groats

1 3/4 cups regular-strength beef broth(2 1/4 cups if using oat groats)

Parsley sprigs

In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-highheat, cook onion in butter until onion is limp, about 10 minutes; stir often. Add oats and stir for 1 minute. Add broth.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer,covered, until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes for steel-cut oats, 40 minutes for oat groats. Stir occasionally. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4 or 5.