Oatmeal Water Bagels or Pretzels - IBS

1 and 1/2 Cups Warm Water

1 tsp Salt

1 pkg Yeast

3 TB plus 1 tsp Brown Sugar

3 -4 Cups Flour

1 and 1/2 Cups Oatmeal

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 Cup water add 1 Tsp Sugar let sit for a minute to proof yeast- let it bubble up at least an inch.

Soften oatmeal in 1 Cup water add 1 tsp salt, and 3 Tb sugar.

Pour both mixtures in to a bowl and start adding the flour a cup at a time until sticky yet knead-able and leaves the sides of the bowl. I like a wet dough. Now knead in small handfuls of flour as needed on the counter. You will want a slightly sticky soft dough. If it's too stiff you have to knead in some water a TB at a time and that is truly a pain! I knead for 10 minutes or 200 quarter turns.

Let raise until doubled in bulk in a oil sprayed bowl covered with a dish cloth or plastic wrap.

Right before you are ready to shape the bagels fill a dutch oven or chicken fryer with water and let it come to a boil, and let it simmer as you shape the dough into bagels.

Do NOT punch down dough, just turn the bowl over and cut the dough in half, then quarters, then eighths. Or tenths for smaller bagels.
Form dough into balls, and flatten out or squeeze to remove bubbles, then push your finger into the center to form a hole and stretch the dough to form a 2 " hole.

Allow bagels to rise a short time on a lightly greased cookie sheet as you preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Now you can add a TB sugar to the boiling water and start boiling the bagels a few at a time. as soon as they rise to the surface turn them over and allow to cook for 1 minute.
Now place boiled bagels on a dishtowel to drain. You can add the toppings you choose at this time.

Place the bagels on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes turn over bagels 20 minutes through baking process. Place on metal rack too cool.

NOTE: You can make pretzels with this recipe if you shape the dough the right way and brush some beaten egg to the dough before sprinkling with coarse salt. If you don't want to add the oatmeal just add more flour to the recipe. Usually I have added 2 tsp onion powder to the dough. I could have sprinkled minced onion on top too before baking, but I never did.

I have a cookbook with the exact same recipe but it uses all flour and adds 2 pkg yeast and 1 TB salt. You need extra salt if you have 2 pkgs yeast but not THAT much. Just one tsp salt for every pkg yeast or cup of water is my motto.