Ode to Oatmeal
How do I love thee, let me count the ways...
I love oatmeal so much. It is delicious on a cold foggy California morning and on a snowy Minnesota one. I get ridiculously excited planning out the oatmeal menu for the week. My family thinks oatmeal is ok, but should be limited to once a week. “Guess what’s for breakfast!” I holler up the stairs. “Oatmeal?” my daughter guesses, glumly. She is usually right.
I eat oatmeal whenever we travel to get new ideas: Indonesia (star anise), Taiwan (pine nuts and corn flakes), Japan (dashi and soy sauce), Costa Rica (honey and banana), London (ask for porridge). This is my base recipe, with some variations to keep it spicy.
Ingredients
2 cups water 1/2 cup milk (any kind, but I like whole) generous 1/2 cup rolled oats scant 1/2 cup steel cut oats (or another 1/2 cup of rolled oats) 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
The night before, heat water, milk, oats and brown sugar until boiling, then turn off heat and let cool.
Put covered in the fridge overnight (I use a small saucepan and put the whole thing in the fridge).
In the morning, reheat on the stove, adding some more milk or water as needed and watching closely so it doesn't boil over. I serve it with milk and brown sugar on the side. It serves 2 generously and 3 just right.
Notes
Apple cider oatmeal: replace 2 cups of water with apple cider or fresh apple juice and add a generous pinch of cinnamon along with the brown sugar.
Cinnamon raisin oatmeal: Add 1/4 cup raisins and pinch of cinnamon along with the brown sugar.
Ginger oatmeal: Make as directed, leaving out the brown sugar. Serve with dried cranberries, diced candied ginger, toasted sliced almonds and a generous drizzle of honey.
Blueberry oatmeal: Make as directed, leaving out the brown sugar. Throw in a few handfuls of blueberries (frozen or fresh) and a pinch of cinnamon. The next morning, serve generously drizzled with honey.
Cherry orange oatmeal: Make as directed, leaving out the brown sugar. Add zest from a small orange, splash of vanilla extract, pinch of slat, pinch of cinnamon and a handful of dried cherries. The next morning, serve with turbinado sugar and sliced roasted almonds.
Indonesian oatmeal: Make as directed, adding in a heavy pinch of ground star anise and cinnamon. You can use cinnamon sticks and whole star anise as well, but you'll need to pick them out before eating.
Date oatmeal: Make as directed, adding a handful of chopped dates and some cinnamon. I find that I can leave out the brown sugar; the dates sweeten it sufficiently.
