the quest for the perfect easy bowl of oatmeal

[Dianyla]

What does steel cut mean, anyway? Or Rolled? (and does that mean instant has been put through my lawn mower and mulched?)

Steel cut oats have been chopped coarsely with a metal blade. When you look at them, you can see the little oat grains whacked into bits.

Rolled oats have been flattened, as if by a steamroller or like a penny put on a railroad track.

Now, I'm not totally sure about instant. I think it means pulverized + high fructose corn syrup.

[equus123]

I'm just a big fan of the Quick 1-minute Quaker Oats 1/2 cup + 3/4 cup Skim Plus milk on the stove. I like to just heat the milk up quickly - as soon as its about to foam over the top of the pot, dump the oats in and cook it for a minute. When its done and I put it in a bowl, I just cover the top of the oatmeal with honey.

As for the cleanup - when I'm done eating, enough time should have passed for the pot to cool. I put the pot, spoon, and bowl into the sink and soak it in soapy water until I come home from work. By the time it soaks - everything comes off instantly!

[mimitabby]

we use "original" quaker oats and they are always a big hit. we like to add dried fruit or fresh fruit and chopped nuts to it.

We add milk and brown sugar, DH must have cinnamon.

It never really seems to take that long to cook, while it's cooking I'm cleaning up other messes in the kitchen anyway.
Bmccasland, thanks for doing the experiment. Crock pot cooking of oats seems like way too much work for me!

[five one]

we use "original" quaker oats and they are always a big hit. we like to add dried fruit or fresh fruit and chopped nuts to it.

I use Safeway's version of oats labeled "old fashioned". Same as Quaker "original" I'm sure. I have some hand made deep bowls, so I put together 1/2 c. oats, 1 c. water, a pinch of salt, and dried fruit du jour. Usually cranberries or blueberries. Zap in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes on high, then let it sit covered for 3-5 minutes. Add brown sugar or honey. Yummy. And no pot to clean . But the bowl has to be deep enough so that the oatmeal won't boil over.

In the summer I put it together the night before using vanilla soy milk rather than water. Refrigerate and eat it cold and uncooked in the morning.

Getting hungry. Must find lunch.

[Tuckervill]

I use Quaker 1-Minute oats. Boil water for tea. Put oatmeal in a bowl with the raisins and walnuts and brown sugar. Pour my cup and then poor water over the oatmeal until it looks right. Stir and eat. No messy pot.

But just *today* I heard someone talking about Irish oatmeal on XM, so I bought some and I'm going to try them tomorrow.

Karen

[julesey]

I LOVE cream of wheats...I just make them in the microwave (or stove top if I have more time) add some raisins and honey and you're good to go. It's a nice change if you get sick of oatmeal.

[surgtech1956]

I've never tried Cream of Wheat, from the picture on the box it looks like mashed potatoes. Whats it taste like???? I loved hot cereal in the winter.

[Blueberry]

I've never tried Cream of Wheat, from the picture on the box it looks like mashed potatoes. Whats it taste like???? I loved hot cereal in the winter.

Very plain - or like what you put in it. I make mine with milk, and add a little maple syrup. It's really good (but not nearly as nutritious as oatmeal - which I don't like as well...).

I also like grits for breakfast. Also not as nutritious (but very good when butter and cheese are added...)

CA

[TahoeDirtGirl]

Tucker, I like your style- that sounds so simple. I have to admit I've never just put hot water in them and eaten them like that, usually I cook em. I will have to check it out.

Oakleaf- do you rinse your rice/grains before cooking them to get the loose starchy dust? Sometimes that helps keep the foaming down. I know that certain types of rice makes mine foam. I got a rice cooker that has a plastic vent so it keeps some of the foamy stuff inside. But as I learned you have to clean that plastic flap vent every time because well...rice juice gets moldy here on the east coast!!! Out west it just dries up and turns to cement haha...

[shootingstar]

Am not familiar with a bit butter in oatmeal or couscous. particularily in oatmeal.

Am impressed by those of you and steel-cut oats. Guess I'm lazy...microwave works before 5:00 am for me. I have enough memories as a child asked to cook a big pot of oatmeal over stove for 7 other people. Did it often enough.

But even now, I still like my oatmeal..milky without sugar. Sometimes I will add an easy fruit..ie. berries.

[Eden]

Am impressed by those of you and steel-cut oats. Guess I'm lazy...microwave works before 5:00 am for me. I have enough memories as a child asked to cook a big pot of oatmeal over stove for 7 other people. Did it often enough.

That's why a crock pot is so great... so easy, put your oats and liquid in before you go to bed and in the morning you have a nice pot of hot cooked oatmeal. Just scoop and eat - takes even fewer wakened brain cells than microwave usage.

I tried pumpkin in with the oats. It's pretty good, though I think I might need a little sweetener. Usually I make it without sugar and put some dried blueberries on. With the pumpkin it seems to need a bit more something sweet to bring out the flavor.

[buddha_bellies]

OMG! Steel cut oat tastes SO GOOD! After reading about it in here, I decided to buy some Bob's Red Mill steel cut oats. It has a texture similar to quiona. I quite like it. Though I don't think I can live w/o maple syrup in it. And a bit of nutmeg and almonds. Yum!! And it wasn't too hard to cook. I cooked it in an iron casted pot for 20 mins. Ate it with some soya milk and still had left over for next morning. I think cooking it this way the night before is the way to go for me. I just heat it up in the microwave with milk and it's pretty much instant breakfast the next day.

Question: How's Scottish Oat different then your reg. oatmeal? Is there a different in texture?

[carpaltunnel]

I love steel cut oats too. I usually chop up an apple and throw it in at the halfway point with some cinnamon. Sometimes pecan pieces . I'm going to try dry rolled oats and yogurt, that sounds good. Sometimes I make granola with honey, just to get some oats into my husband, but it has so much fat and sugar.

[cylegoddess]

This is called 'horse chow'but tastes great!
add to DRY oatmeal
raisins, currants, dates etc
lemon juice
pinch of sea salt

Eat like that!
Also good with OJ poured on it.

[msincredible]

My most common version:

- rolled oats and water cooked in the microwave (mine has an "oatmeal" magic button )
- add frozen berries, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and some unsweetened soymilk

Once in a while I will do steel cut oats...I just discovered it is much easier to cook a large batch, divvy it up into single serving containers (with my frozen berries) and freeze it, then just microwave them in the morning.

I've also been known to put cinnamon and soymilk on other grains including plain brown rice for breakfast.