Ypsi Cooks

We’ve been busy lately. Weddings to attend, gardens to weed, family to see and sprinklers to run in. Yep, we’ve been busy. Not that we haven’t been in the kitchen. We’ve been there plenty, perhaps more than usual but really not choosing to write about it until now. Ya know, busy.

I’ve got 3 recipes up my sleeve, but life is short, so let’s talk dessert first: peach pie. (more…)

I try to cook breakfast at least once during the week. We are a family that really enjoys all those boxes of cold cereal, but even on sale they are not particularly economical, healthy or environmentally friendly with all that packaging and shipping (though the bags are great for rolling out pastry or covering that rising dough). Because I don’t feel like getting up before Tom to make pancakes or waffles, I turn to oatmeal. I love the old fashioned stuff, and my sister-in-law Betsy says it doesn’t take that, but I made it the “regular” was the other day, and it felt like it took FOREVER. That’s when I realized I should to share this “recipe,” technique really. You do all the measuring night before, and it couldn’t be simpler. Turn it on rather low (we do 3 on our stove that goes to 10) before hopping in the shower, and it’s ready once you’re out. Make sure to check out your coop or bulk food store for oats. We pay $.95-1.25/lb for organic. Quaker and even the generic brand are usually a lot more in the supermarket.

Overnight Oatmeal
Enough for 2 hungry adults and a couple hungry kids. Adjust quantities as necessary.

2 c old fashioned oats (thick rolled are my favorite)
4 c water
dash salt
dried fruit* (1/4-1/2 cup)
1/2-1 t cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger, optional
1 soup spoon of blackstrap molasses, optional

The night before put all ingredients in a sauce pan, give it a stir with that soup spoon and put a lid on it.
The next morning turn burner on rather low with the lid on. It should be ready to eat in about 10 min, but because of the low temperature and lid, it will sit on the burner for a while longer without harm.

Serve with maple syrup, honey or other sweetener, nuts, yogurt, milk or anything else that suits your fancy.

*We most often use raisins, since I can get organic ones cheap, but cranberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots are all delicious
It’s also good with a pinch of ginger or Chinese five spice and probably a host of other spices. I wouldn’t recommend nutmeg; it was pretty funky.

*note: we’ve recently started  topping with frozen blueberries or jarred peaches