Cookin again

[Dannyalcatraz]

I like oatmeal, personally, but I don’t eat it much. Part of it is I generally don’t feel like investing the time to properly cook it in the AM.

Part of is that- for me- “properly cooked” oatmeal has milk, butter, cinnamon and WAY too much sugar in it to be truly healthy (though not nearly as much as I used to consume as a kid). So if I am going to have some kind of grain-centric breakfast, it’s going to be cold cereal 99 times out of 100.

The good news about that is I (mostly) kicked the kiddie cereal habit decades ago. The cereals I buy & eat most often are minimally (artificially) sweetened and have things like nuts and dried fruit.

Every once in a while, though, I do indulge in one of my childhood favorite cereals: Lucky Charms, Apple Jacks, or Froot Loops.

 

[ScottDeWar_jr]

Are you allowed blueberries or peaches in your oatmeal?

 

[CleverNickName]

I eat oatmeal about 5 times a week (I have cholesterol issues, so I'm on a high-fiber, low-fat diet.) I've grown to love the stuff, but it took some time and creativity.

1. Make them with apple juice instead of water, and add cinnamon. It's less sugar than adding my usual scoop of brown sugar, and has more flavor. I like to mix in some dried apples or raisins, too.

2. Savory oatmeal: cook them in chicken or beef broth instead of water. Mix in some minced onion, leftover chicken, chopped fresh herbs, grated carrot, sliced mushrooms, whatever. It ends up tasting more like a rice pilaf (except oats) or --believe it or not-- Stove Top stuffing, if you use sage, garlic, and rosemary. My spouse likes to top it with a fried egg, too, but I'm not allowed eggs very often.

3. We like the texture of steel cut oats more than the rolled oats. So if the texture is a bit off-putting, give them a try. (They take a lot longer to cook, though. Consider soaking them overnight.)

 

[Vael]

Also, we often make oatmeal the day before and just reheat in the microwave in the morning.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I personally cannot get used to savory oatmeal, nor their evil twin, sweet grits.

 

[Zardnaar]

I have peaches or blueberries on mine buy the favoured ones. Usually Apple or berry flavors.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

I personally cannot get used to savory oatmeal, nor their evil twin, sweet grits.

I feel the same way about savory French toast. I understand the idea and want to like it, but I've never been able to make it such that I didn't have the feeling that I'd have been happier with it if it were sweet.

 

[Zardnaar]

Never figured French toast out. Name doesn't help.

 

[Vael]

Growing up, I had French Toast with cream cheese and maple syrup. And I will occassionally go savoury and skip the maple syrup. But I prefer a pure egg and bread French Toast ... no milk in mine, so mine is more like bread wrapped in egg, so it's easier to hit a savoury note.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Never figured French toast out. Name doesn't help.

Use an egg-rich bread like brioche or challah. If you can snag challah during Rosh Hashanah, you'll find it comes with raisins - this makes the best French toast imo. If you're feeling super indulgent, use chocolate babka.

Use bread that's a day or a couple of days old. It cuts more easily, and is more absorptive.

Cut bread thick - an inch or more. For two slices, beat together 4 eggs, 1/4t cinnamon, 1/4c white sugar and 1c full fat milk. Pour into a baking dish, and place the bread in it. After it's absorbed half of the liquid, turn it over.

Wait till it's absorbed everything. Don't rush it. Wait 15 mins or so.

In a medium skillet on medium heat, melt plenty of butter - plenty. Wait until it starts to foam. Use a fish slice or flat spatula to place the French toast in it (it will be soggy), and resist the urge to turn it until it's well-browned. Flip it over with a fish slice and repeat with the other side. Add more butter to the pan - it will be necessary.

If you feel the need of a deep Maillard reaction and for the sugar in the batter to caramelize - I do - flip it a couple more times.

To serve, sieve powder sugar over, drown in maple syrup, and garnish with Chantilly cream and fresh strawberries.

Set your diabetes meter to 10.