Mornings at my house are not easy. Talking to me before I have indulged in a cup of coffee can be hazardous…just ask my kids. Most mornings they ask me if I’ve had my first cup of coffee before asking me for breakfast. Sad…I know. But for the past few months I have been getting up extra early and reading scripture…sometimes exercising…so no one has to encounter their coffee deprived momma. I also try to keep simple and quick breakfasts on hand for those mornings when I need extra sleep. I used to buy packets of instant oatmeal but the cheapskate in me had to find a better way…

I buy my oats in twenty-five pound bags from the local Amish store…local as in a forty-five minute drive. We go four or five times a year and I stock up on flour, cheese, butter, oats, sugar, and other pantry staples. When we get home my husband cuts the cheese into smaller blocks of cheese and preserves them in wax. I never would have thought to do that and I like watching him in the kitchen…working in the kitchen with my husband is one of my favorite experiences.

Here is the recipe for one batch of Ready Oatmeal…I usually prepare three batches at once.

Roast 10 cups of rolled oats at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. After the oats have cooled put about three cups of them in a food processor with 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and process until powdery. Mix this in with the rest of your oats in an airtight container. (I no longer have a food processor and just powder up small batches with my smoothie blender.)

To serve. Mix 1/2 cup of ready oats with 1&1/4 cup hot water in a bowl. Cover bowl with a plate (or whatever will hold the heat in) and let sit for about five minutes or so. uncover and eat.

When my kids were smaller I ground most of the oats but as they have gotten older they prefer a little more texture to their oatmeal. My oldest like to add dehydrated strawberries to his oatmeal while it is steeping in the bowl.

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