Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Day 14: News Flash: Frozen Weather Pixie Revived by Steel Cut Oatmeal

Poor Frozen Weather Pixie . . .

When I got up this morning, it was -36 degrees (before windchill!) Weather Pixie just does not dress right for this. I had to feed her some of this delicious steel cut oatmeal, which I had cooked overnight in my crock-pot, and the aroma of vanilla and cinnamon was wafting through the house, reaching her sitting on my house roof. (I'm assuming she sits on the roof.) It's the only thing that revived her. . .

Steel Cut Oatmeal

2 cups steel cut oatmeal (best purchased in bulk, in a natural foods store or section of
grocery store)
4 c skim milk or water
1/2 t salt
2 T butter (optional, but it'll help you avoid craving chocolate in about an hour, otherwise)
flavoring options: vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice
additions:milk or yogurt, or apple pieces, bananas, walnuts, blueberries (a superfood), almonds if walnuts give you cancre sores which I get and makes me really whiney and inclined to snarl at the innocent.

Before you go to bed at night, put all except the "additions" in a crockpot, preferably lined with one of those baggy/liner type things for crockpots so you don't have to do much cleaning up in the morning. You won't have time to clean up; you have to chisel your way to your car under a glacier in the morning.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours to a tremendous breakfast! DO NOT try to substitute quaker type oatmeal. It'll be a mushy yuk-ness. This is a little more chewy than that. This makes about 6 good sized servings, and here's the best part! You can put the leftovers in little containers and heat up again for about 30 seconds in the microwave another day. . . or for lunch! You can't do that with ordinary old oatmeal.





I'm so glad my Weather Pixie revived, or I'd have had to bury her dead little pixels here. And the ground is way too frozen for burials right now.

24 comments:

Reds said...

Glad the weather pixie survived - it's going to be real cold here too in the next few days - gotta try your oatmeal to warm up - sounds delicious!

Maria said...

I love oatmeal, but I've never tried the steel cut type. I think I'm going to try it following your recipe. Here's what I add to mine: 1 T. wheat germ, 1 T. ground flax seed, 1 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil, 1 T. raw honey, cinnamon and raisins. Yum!

Anonymous said...

Oh glad she survived! That oatmeal looks so good and that last shot is just amazing! Wow!
Cari

janett said...

Love, LOVE that cemetary shot!

Lauren Hartman said...

Holy moly, that is COLD! I don't care for oatmeal, but I keep hearing about how good steel cut is, and I'm *this* close to trying it. I think I might like it better because of the consistency.

Sharon said...

I might just have to try the bulk method of oats. ;)

LOVE the contrasts in the graveyard!!!

Unknown said...

Yummy! Love the cemetery photo. TFS.

Kelly said...

Wow you guys are really getting the weather... Try and stay warm. Wonderful shots

pat said...

OUCH! I know what weather like that is, and steel cut oatmeal is definitely a good remedy. I've done it in the crock pot and used apple juice instead of water....MMMMMM. Love the tree/cemetary shot.

Anonymous said...

I like how the headstones look like a mini version of the trees behind them in the snow.

Chell said...

Oh my word that is just too darn cold. Glad the weather pixie survived,would have hated to hear she had to be flushed because you couldn't bury her. That recipe sounds yummy, and that picture is great.

~*Steffie*~ said...

I really love your weather pixie stories. That 1st shot looks yummy! So colorful.

Margaret said...

Oh, poor little weather pixie! That oatmeal sounds so yummy and warm on a cold day! And that cemetery shot is amazing. :)

Anonymous said...

The last photo is amazing!

Amy said...

Oh yum, I'm going to have to try this as I just love oatmeal! Great shot of it too. :)

Diana said...

Im glad the Pixie survived

and that oatmeal looks delish thanks for the recipie

Amy said...

Hi Angela, I don't shoot in RAW. I wish I did, but I don't even really know what it is, how lame is that! I've been intrigued by it for a while, so I think 2009 is the year for me to learn it! :)

Linnao said...

Oh my, that second picture is really beautiful!! But oh so cold!

Jeanne said...

Wowzers! I cannot believe how COLD it is out your way! Please stay safe. I have never before heard of steel cut oatmeal, have to be honest and say I thought of brillo pads when I first started reading. Not too appetizing. Might have to look into finding some as my family does like oatmeal.

Your photos are amazing!

Mom2Drew said...

YUMMY!!! Yea, that's pretty darn cold.

Liz said...

That oatmeal looks and sounds amazing! I will have to make up a pot, thank you for sharing!

Becky said...

I thought of you this morning when I saw on Yahoo news how stinkin' cold it is out there! The oatmeal looks delicious, and the graveyard shot is so beautiful. Did you shoot that in this terrible cold?

Gypsy Girl(Brenda) said...

I know I can count on you for a good laugh in the morning. That looks so yummy I want to try it.

Tori said...

I'm not really an oatmeal person but that sounds and looks so good!