Time for OATMEAL!

Oh, there's a bit of a chill in the air these mornings!  Definitely time for a bowl of creamy, nutritious, hearty Oatmeal.  No, not the instant oatmeal packets that can be purchased and boiling hot water is added.  This is the oatmeal that tastes delicious after all of the ingredients are placed in a sauce pot, combined and sit for like 5 - 10 minutes, so the oats may soften a bit, before being heated and stirred.  Mmmm!

The Quaker Oats canister has the directions printed on the backside, if needed.  I also stir in 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg & 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon with the oats and milk.  A handful of Craisins (dried Cranberries) add a bit of tang and sweetness to this delicious hot cereal.  Brown Sugar (desired amount) is also added. 

 
Calcium is an important part of a diet that's needed every day, and a serving of this hot cereal contains 8 oz. - including the Milk added in the cereal bowl.  This is a great start to the needed daily amount of Calcium, every day.

I use Soy Milk and I find that a half gallon of Soy Milk is always on my grocery list.  The Old Fashioned Oats and Craisins will be on my next Costco list!  They will be divided into more usable containers, after purchasing.  :)  There will be more cooking with Oats & Craisins this week!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

~Creamy Craisin Oatmeal~

Makings for a yummy hearty breakfast!

It's winter!  It's chilly outside!  It's the perfect time to enjoy a steaming bowl of a hot hearty cereal for breakfast!  Creamy Craisin Oatmeal ranks right up there in the delicious department!  The ingredients are always at hand in my kitchen - old fashioned Oats, Craisins, Milk (I use Soy Milk.), Brown Sugar (to taste), Nutmeg & Cinnamon.

Quaker Old Fashioned Oats and Ocean Spray Craisins are staples in my kitchen - I purchase the large containers at Costco.  O.K., you might ask why such a large quantity of Oats is purchased.  Well, I use those hearty oats often!  The large box of Quaker Oats contains two packages.  When one is opened I repack it in my 5 small Quaker Oat canisters.  Away into the pantry they go! 

This past Saturday AM, Awesome Oatmeal Pancakes (click name for printable recipe) were yummy!  A batch yields many of the light Nutmeg & Cinnamon flavored pancakes.  After the extra pancakes cooled, they were placed in sandwich bags and then Ziploc Freezer Bags, labelled and stored in my freezer to enjoy other mornings.  :)

The AM was cold & windy today - with no snow!  A bowl of Creamy Craisin Oatmeal tasted great!  The preparation was easy following the directions on the oat canister and also adding in the desired amount of Craisins + about 1/8 teaspoon of Nutmeg and of Cinnamon.  

*For a creamy oatmeal, place all ingredients in pot and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes, then prepare.

Do you also like hot cereal on a cold morning?

Enjoy!
Yummy!

          

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp

It's Apple Season in New England!  Oh Yes!  Every autumn baking the first Apple Crisp using fresh, local Cortland apples tastes so good!  It's filled with Craisins, Raisins, Old Fashioned Oats & slices of Cortland apples (a hybrid of a Ben Davis + a McIntosh).  When these crispy Cortland apples are cut, they do not turn a brownish color quickly.  This characteristic also makes Cortland apple slices a great addition to a salad. 

However, when I purchased the bag last week, salad was not on my mind.  It was Apple Crisp!  This is a wonderful dessert - Yum.  It tastes very similar to an apple pie, but there is no crust to roll out.  The baked apples are covered with a delicious topping of old fashioned Oats, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Butter/Margarine. 

In Produce Aisles of grocery stores I've noticed a "mix" for the topping sold in boxes.  Butter/Margarine is added to the dry ingredients.  A 1 lb. canister of Oats, a small bag of Flour, along with the spices always come in handy in a kitchen, so I always view this "premeasured topping mix" as a waste of $$.

Quaker is my brand of old fashioned Oats.  I must admit that once the fall season begins I use oats in many foods, so Costco is my "go to" place for oats.  That large box really is not that big.  :)

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp is a dessert that my fam always enjoys.  In the spring I use a combination of Empire and of Granny Smith apples.  The photo above shows our dessert one evening before a small scoop of vanilla ice cream was added on top.     

Apple Crisp 
       click for printable recipe card

Oven Temperature:  375°F
Time:  45 - 50 Minutes

Ingredients:
6 - 7 peeled sliced large apples
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/3 Cup + 1 Tablespoon softened Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Craisins &/or Raisins - I use both!

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray PAM in 8" x 8" glass pan.
3. Place sliced apples in pan.
4. Sprinkle in Craisins & Raisins.
5. Thoroughly mix remaining ingredients together in small bowl.
6. Sprinkle over apples.
7. Bake 45 Minutes or until apples are tender. 
8. Serve warm or chilled with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
9. When cool, cover & refrigerate any leftovers.

Today, I was in the Big Y purchasing groceries.  The first bag of Cortland apples just disappeared, so another bag was placed in our grocery cart along with a half gallon of Apple Cider.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!!!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

      

Creamy Banana Oatmeal

There was one Banana in the fruit bowl this morning!  Now, I can remember when gazing over to a brown spotted Banana in the morning was not very appealing.  The reasoning - it did not have that "just right for eating at lunchtime" appearance.   But ... on these chilly mornings a hearty breakfast of Creamy Banana Oatmeal tastes so good!  The lonely spotted Banana that contains Potassium sure helps make a yummy & healthy breakfast!

I follow the directions on the Quaker Old Fashioned Oat canister.  O.K., I admit one of the large packages of the dual pack of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats purchased from Costco has been divided and stored in my pantry.  You know how I like to prepare foods using Old Fashioned Oats and enjoy their taste!  :)  The large box purchased from Costco is not really that big!

Soy Milk, along with Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Raisins &/or Craisins, Brown Sugar (optional), and the Banana (sliced) are combined in a sauce pot.  I do not use Salt.  The Soy Milk replaces Whole or Low Fat Milk. 

Let the ingredients in the pot sit for 5 minutes before starting to cook according to directions on canister.  The result is a creamy Oatmeal with a delicious taste of Banana. A great breakfast before heading outdoors!

Do you prepare Oatmeal for breakfast?
Enjoy!
Yummy!