Summer is almost over. Hurray!!! I have to admit, Summer has never been a good friend of mine. Between the oppressive heat and humidity, hurricane season, and eleven weeks of school vacation, by this time each year, my nerves are raw. I know, I know – why in the heck do I live in Florida if I hate the heat? It isn’t by choice. I guess I’m a victim of circumstance. I grew up here. I met my husband here. Our business is here. And, most of the rest of my family is now here too. I suppose there were a few opportunities for escape over the years, but my fear of the unknown coupled with my sense of responsibility kept me from grabbing them. I still have hope, though. Mini SGCC will be off to college in a few years. Our nest will be empty. Perhaps that will be the catalyst to shake us out of this rut.

What does this have to do with Oatmeal Breakfast Bread? Nothing, really. But, the temperature is hovering at around ninety-three degrees in the shade as I write this, and my brain is feeling a little like a fried egg right now. Or maybe, I’m just becoming one of those old ladies who ramble on about nothing that has anything to do with anything. If I start walking around wearing purple hats and peppering my conversations with words like “putter” and “early bird special”, please just shoot me!

But, the bread. Oh yes, the bread! That tender, cushiony, slightly sweet, lightly spiced crumb surrounded by a crunchy shell of cinnamon, brown sugar and nuts. Dorie’s ^[1] Oatmeal Breakfast Bread is fabulous! It’s made with healthy whole wheat flour and rolled oats. And, did I mention that it has little juicy bits of dried fruit inside? It does! A slice of this stuff is the perfect thing to grab on your way out the door in the morning to catch the school bus. Or to go to the office. Or to run errands. Or just to sit in front of your computer at home with a nice, hot cup of coffee. It’s very versatile that way.

You can add whatever kind of fruits and nuts you want to this bread. Dorie likes to add raisins. I do too, but I didn’t have any raisins when I made mine. I used a tropical fruit blend of dried mango, pineapple and papaya. I also used toasted, chopped pecans in the topping. They were good choices, but the next time I make this bread, I’ll definitely add raisins. Or dried apples and cherries. Or maybe strawberries….. There I go rambling again. But, you get the idea.

Before I totally lose my mind, I’d like to thank Natalie of Oven Love ^[2] for choosing this recipe for this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie ^[3] assignment. You can find the recipe for this delicious Oatmeal Breakfast Bread ^[4] there, and of course in Baking: From My Home to Yours ^[5]. And, don’t forget to stop by the TWD Blogroll ^[6] to see how the rest of the gang fared with this one.

Hmmm. I think I’ll go turn the air conditioner down a few more notches and grab another slice of that bread…..