BRING 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in oats and butter. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat; let cool to 110 degrees. STIR together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 2-cup measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. BEAT oat mixture, yeast mixture, flour, salt, and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. TURN dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. COVER and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk. PUNCH dough down, and divide in half; shape each portion into 16 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Place evenly into 2 lightly greased 9 x 1 3/4-inch round cake pans. COVER and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

To add this recipe to your collection, drag the image to one of your lists in MacGourmet, or right click on it, download the linked file to your computer, and import the file.