Oatmeal Cherry Braid

Ingredients

 * ½ cup oatmeal
 * 1 cup hot water
 * ½ tsp salt
 * 1½ tbsp butter
 * 1 pack yeast
 * ¼ cup water
 * 1½ tsp sugar
 * ⅓ cup brown sugar
 * 2½ cup flour
 * ½ homemade cherry pie filling
 * 1 tsp fresh lemon peel
 * ½ cup confectioners' sugar
 * 2 tsp milk
 * ¼ tsp vanilla

Directions

 * 1) Stir oatmeal into hot water.
 * 2) Add salt and butter; cool to lukewarm.
 * 3) Dissolve yeast in warm water, stir in 1 ½ teaspoons sugar until dissolved.
 * 4) When yeast mixture starts to bubble, add to oatmeal mixture.
 * 5) Stir in brown sugar and enough flour to make a stiff dough.
 * 6) Knead until smooth and satiny.
 * 7) Cover and let rise until double.
 * 8) Punch down dough, divide in half.
 * 9) Roll one portion into a rectangle.
 * 10) Place on lightly greased baking sheet.
 * 11) Spread cherry pie filling (using only ½ of entire recipe for both braids) down center of dough.
 * 12) Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon lemon peel.
 * 13) Cut 1-inch strips on each side of filling to within ½ inch of filling.
 * 14) Starting with top right strip, overlap dough over filling, working right to left, pinching lightly to seal.
 * 15) Let rise until almost doubled.
 * 16) Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
 * 17) While braid is still warm, frost with glaze of confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla.
 * 18) Repeat with remaining dough.