Yes, I was in mood for oatmeal. I was not in mood for meat tonight. As I was looking in my cupboards, I knew I was looking for comfort food for this chilly night. Yes, South Carolina DOES get cold. I didn't want anything heavy but yet something that sticks to your bones goodness. I happened to look up on top on my refrigerator to see two big containers of oatmeal which I normally use for baking, Bingo! Oatmeal with raisins sounded mighty good!
I grew up eating homemade oatmeal for breakfast. As I think back to my childhood, we rarely had cold cereal. Yeah, we were poor. The only cold cereal I remembered having was at my grandparents' house. My sisters and I would eat oatmeal with butter, brown sugar, fresh raw milk or powdered milk. I just love how it was so comforting and how it would last until lunchtime. We didn't have it everyday, but when we did, it was a major treat for us three girls at the time.
Now speed forward to my young adult. For some reason, I haven't been eating oatmeal during those years. Coffee was THE breakfast at the time. School and work demanded more of my time were my excuses at the time. Sad to say, I really lost out those years eating oatmeal.
Now fast forward to present. I'm single now and do miss cooking for others. Now I've noticed how I didn't have to cook oatmeal that long. You heard me right. You can make time for cooking oatmeal. It takes at the most 10 to 15 minutes to cook depending on the type of oatmeal you have. Seriously, how long does it take for you to prepare coffee and and wait for it to brew? I thought so. I haven't tried steel cut oatmeal yet. Until I find a natural food store close to this town I live in, I will be using cooking oatmeal which takes me 10 to cook average. I always measure it exactly to the direction because I don't like it hard and lumpy and grey and among other things. I like my oatmeal soft and hot where the butter can melt right away.
I can understand why many people don't like oatmeal. Two main reasons: 1. Overcooked. I cannot tell you how many people have told me that. I remember how I did over cook oatmeal twice when I was a kid. Pretty gross. 2. Too cold. I can never understand why people would serve them lukewarm or cold. Oatmeal is at its best when piplng hot with all that melted butter along brown sugar. Mmmmmm.
Please NO instant oatmeal! I beg you. It's not even close to the real oatmeal. Disgusting and insulting (Well, it is to me.)
There are many things to eat along with your oatmeal. I don't cook them with oatmeal. I wait until oatmeal is done before adding any goodies to oatmeal.
My favorites are:
Raisins with sugar and cinnamon(which I'm having tonight)
Brown sugar, butter and milk
Diced apples, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and/or milk
Peaches and cream
Other options:
Diced pears, vanilla bean, sugar and milk
Diced prunes
Banana, brown sugar, butter and milk
Fresh strawberries
Blue berries and cream
raspberries
Dates
Dried or fresh apricots
There are many more. Give it a shot and and start over fresh from your bad impression with your first oatmeal and reintroduce yourself to a nice, fresh, hot piping oatmeal with any fruit. What have you got to lose?
Oatmeal with butter, sugar, cinnamon, and milk
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