Irish Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a delicious, healthy, breakfast. The steel-cut irish oats produce a nutty, chewy, tender oatmeal that we love. It takes over half hour to cook if the oats are not pre-soaked, but a quick prep the night before cuts the cooking time down significantly. Today we add strawberries, but the oatmeal is wonderful with any berry, or some chopped apples, pears, or peaches. Of course, guests to our house like to add brown sugar as well, but we like it just with the fruit. Originally served as part of: Sunday Brunch.
- Robin's Irish Oatmeal (December 5, 2003)
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup oats (McCann's Irish Steel-Cut)
- strawberries (chopped)
- cinnamon
- low fat with cranberries granola (Chappaqua Crunch)
- skim milk
Instructions
We begin the night before we want to eat the irish oatmeal to save time in the morning. We bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. We add the oats, cover, and remove from the heat. We let the pot cool off for about an hour and then refrigerate the pot.
This morning we place the pot on the stove over medium heat. We bring the oatmeal to a boil, uncover, and simmer on low for about 8 minutes until thickened. We divide the oatmeal into two bowls, sprinkle with fruit, cinnamon, granola and skim milk to taste.
Sometimes Chris is not around in the morning to eat his bowl. We refrigerate his bowl with plastic wrap and it is ready to be popped in the microwave for a minute or two for a quick, no-mess breakfast.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup Irish steel-cut oats (McCann's)
- strawberries (chopped)
- cinnamon
- low-fat granola with cranberries (Chappaqua Crunch)
- skim milk
Instructions
What's a kid job?
A Kid job is a step kids can help with, with a grown-up nearby, not one they do on their own. Every kid is different, so go by what your child can do rather than by age. Roughly:
- Little ones (about 2 to 4) can stir, pour in ingredients a grown-up has measured, tear lettuce, wash vegetables and sprinkle toppings.
- Older kids (about 5 to 8) can also measure and level, crack eggs, whisk, roll and cut out dough, and put things together.
- Bigger kids can read the recipe aloud, keep track of the timer, and take on more of the cooking as they're ready.
Steps with a knife, microplane, skewers, stove, oven, grill or hot oil, or with raw meat, poultry or seafood, are marked Grown-up. Kids can still watch those, from a safe distance.
The night before, bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the oats, cover, and take off the heat. Cool about an hour, then refrigerate the pot.
In the morning, bring the oatmeal to a boil over medium heat, uncover, and simmer on low about 8 minutes, until thick.
Kid job
Divide between two bowls and top with fruit, cinnamon, granola and milk. (A covered bowl keeps in the fridge and reheats in the microwave in a minute or two.)