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Friday, May 27, 2016

In Pursuit of Steel Cut Oats Breakfast Recipe

A few weeks ago (five, to be exact) I posted a picture of my first attempt at Shannon Ables's recipe for "Buttery Steel Cut Oats."  Since then  I have fallen in love with the recipe and have made it nearly every morning.  We've always been a big oatmeal family, but these buttery steel cut oats definitely top the charts.





I received several requests for the recipe and rather than just directing  you to Ms. Able's website, decided to share the recipe in a post.


The necessary ingredients include:
  • 1/4 Cup Steel Cut Oat Meal (original, not quick cooking!  The one pictured is John McCann Steel Cut Oatmeal, but I've also used Bob's Red Mill Organic Steel Cut Oats, and both are good)
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter (I've been using Président Salted Butter)
  • 3/4 Cup Boiling Water
  • 1/4 Cup Cream (pictured is Organic Valley Heaving Whipping Cream.  I've also used Regular Whipping Cream, and they're both good).
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • Handful of Toasted Slivered Almonds

I've been toasting my own almonds while the rest of the meal (pun intended) cooks and decided quickly to toast enough for a whole week and keep them in a small glass jar (exactly what I did with the walnut and rolled-oat mixture for the Magical Breakfast).  These directions will tell you the steps I take to do this, but once your almonds are toasted for the week you would (obviously) leave those steps out of the process.  


Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place your kettle of water on the stove to boil.  Place several handfuls of slivered almonds on a lightly sprayed baking sheet.



In a small skillet, melt butter with oats over medium heat to begin toasting the oats for 2-3 minutes.

Once the oven is preheated, begin to toast almonds for 5 minutes.

When the water in the kettle begins to boil, add 3/4 cups to the oats in the skillet.  It should immediately continue to boil.  DO NOT STIR!  Add a dash of salt and reduce heat to low.  Allow oats to absorb liquid for 8-10 minutes.


I normally enjoy my cup of coffee while waiting for the timers to go off.  Check out this super cute "Milton" mug by The Scribble Studio that I picked up from 
Cheeses and Mary a few weeks ago!


 After almonds have toasted for 5 minutes, stir around and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.  NOTE: There is a very fine line between perfectly toasted almonds and over-toasted (aka, burnt) almonds.  Keep an eye on them and take them out RIGHT as they start to brown in color.  
(You'll notice in the above picture that I've found the "hot" spot of my oven 
and have learned to work around it. :)


Once your oats have absorbed liquid, stir and add 1/4 cup cream.  Allow cream to become absorbed then transfer to bowl.


 

Add honey and small handful of toasted almonds.  Save the remainder of almonds in a small glass jar to use throughout the week.

This recipe is for one but can very easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled for more!  Just as with the Magical Breakfast, have fun adding different toppings to make it unique to your taste.  I've played with a few toppings, but the honey and almonds are definitely my favorite!







    Wednesday, May 25, 2016

    Summer Movie List + Book List Update

    Longer days. Easier schedules.  Much more flexibility.  Just as Ms. Fitzgerald sang, "It's summertime, and the livin' is easy."  Man, how I love summer!

    In case you haven't noticed my theme, I view the start of each new season as a fresh slate.  Inspiration in itself to continue creating a life I love to live.  Living in each moment and soaking up every bit of relaxed state of mind.  That's what I plan to do this summer.

    As soon as Fiona's school ended, we started our Summer tradition of evening movies.  Every year we try to stick to a theme (last year was Shirley Temple; the year before was Disney animated movies).  This year's theme is musicals.  The old fashioned classics.  Below is our list:

    1. My Fair Lady




    2. The King and I



     3. Annie, Get Your Gun



    4. Oklahoma!




    5. On the Town



    6. An American in Paris




    7.  Anchors Away



    8. Holiday Inn



    9. Meet Me in St. Louis



    I foresee us finishing one or two movies a week as we'll probably end up splitting most of them into two evenings.  You may be asking where's The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, or many of the other, most popular musicals.  We've seen these so many times (and LOVE them!), so we (I) decided we'd see movies she had not yet seen (and, to be quite honest, I have not yet seen!).  I'm excited to share this experience with her!

    I'd love to receive more recommendations!  We've got a few spots left to fill and I'm sure we're missing some of the greats!  I'd also love to hear if anyone else has summer movie lists and if you have a theme or just go with the flow :)

    Quick update on the progress of my book list:  I've finished two more books (Marrying Mozart, and The Happiness Project), and am almost done with Joie de Vivre, which I am enjoying tremendously.  I am also still reading through Spark Joy.  At this rate, I won't finish them all by the end of the year (there were 15 on my list and I'm only on my 5th!), so I decided to help my chances by ONCE AGAIN moving my phone charger away from my bed.  It's been moved for three days now and I've already noticed the difference in how much further into my book I've progressed.  Go figure.