Oatmeal.
OK…I know it’s supposed to be GOOD for you. Great. But I hate oatmeal. It’s the slimy texture and the BORING flavor. Now be honest…when YOU roll out of bed, do you scream “Wow! I am SO HUNGRY for OATMEAL!”??? (I think NOT!) We ALL want something we can sink our teeth into. Breakfast should require CHEWING!
I’m sure oatmeal would make AWESOME wallpaper paste.
So I’m happy to have found a compromise, of sorts. STEEL CUT OATS….sometimes called Irish Oatmeal. (I can just picture my Irish ancestors in County Cork…stirring that simmering pot on the back of an old peat-burning stove in their thatched-roof cottage. (OK…maybe that’s a little far-fetched…but INDULGE me, OK? It’s MY fantasy!)
Yes…Steel Cut Oats does take longer to prepare. (25-30 minutes.) But the texture is AWESOME! You actually get to CHEW your breakfast!
When I make it, I use part water and part milk to give it even more flavor. I add a pinch of salt, and some brown sugar to the oats as it is cooking. Then about five minutes before it’s done, I stir in a handful of raisins or dried cranberries to allow them to “plump” before serving.
COOKING TIP: Keep an eye on the pan as it cooks, and stir it fairly often. And as it starts to thicken, watch it even more closely. It can go from a thin, watery consistency to a burned-on mess in a matter of a minute! It really does require a little babysitting to remove it from the heat at the proper time.
If you haven’t tried it…try it. And you might want to recite one of my favorite Irish blessings while you’re eating…
AMEN.
(And Bon Appetit!)
Leave a Reply