While I'm waiting for the water in the tea kettle to heat, I put old-fashioned oats in a bowl with raisins and walnuts and a hint of brown sugar, and pour hot water over it from the tea kettle. While my tea steeps, I eat the oatmeal, and then the I drink my tea. This is an every single morning ritual. I don't care that the oatmeal is not cooked to a creamy mush. I think it's better chewy.

I started doing it this way when a friend gave me some oatmeal mix for xmas. It had powdered milk in it, too. She has a big family and keeps this homemade mix (oats, raisins, walnuts, powdered milk, brown sugar) in a container on the counter for the kids to make when they want. I don't put the powdered milk in it because I don't need it, and I mix it by the bowl. When I travel, though, I do mix up a big container and take my electric tea kettle with me.

Karen