Jun. 28, 2021
Cooking In Season
Salad Meals to Beat the Heat
In this recipe round up, I have gathered my best and most delicious summer salad meal recipes in one post, for days when it’s too hot to cook!
May 7, 2010
School Day Large-Flake Oatmeal Method
A quick, no-fuss method for cooking old fashioned large flake oats on a school day. Get creamy, delicious oatmeal even on a busy morning!
In our family, we like to start the day with hot oatmeal. Actually… It’s me, Mean Mommy, who has decided this. I refuse to buy cold cereal except on special occasions (and even then, my poor kids are forced to get excited about Jordan’s Supreme Muesli.)
Since I am a chef, I can make porridge taste pretty exciting, i.e. Three Bears Porridge. However (being a chef and all) I will only make porridge with quality ingredients: old-fashioned large flake oats or bust. I don’t care if the large-flake oats take longer to cook. Quick oats and instant oats just taste gross.
This kind of high food standard can be crazy-making when you are also a mom whose children need to get to school before recess. So, over the years, I have devised a “quick” oatmeal method for weekdays, still using old-fashioned oats.
The School Day Oatmeal Method requires one small, small change in your morning routine. Instead of putting the coffee on first, put it on second, right after the oats… Wait! Come back! It will be OK, I promise. You will still get your coffee on time. Really, really. And everyone will have a great breakfast, too.
What makes this School Day Oatmeal Method different from a lazy weekend method is #1 the timing (putting the oats on before anything else happens) and #2 the non-burning assurance (letting the oats cook in their own heat with the element turned OFF).
This takes advantage of what is known in cooking school as Passive Cooking – any food item that can take care of itself while you do something else. In this case, making coffee, starting school lunches, chopping nuts and fruit for oatmeal toppings.
So, not technically quick, but very efficient, and definitely worth it. Detailed instructions follow!
School Day Large Flake Oatmeal Method
This no-fuss method for cooking old fashioned large flake oats works miracles for a school day breakfast. Ensure creamy, delicious oatmeal even on a busy morning!
Ingredients
250 ml (1 cup) old-fashioned rolled oats (large flake)
625 ml - 1000 ml (2-1/2 to 4 cups) water (see Note)
Optional pinch of salt (I don't use this, but some people like salt in their oatmeal)
Note ~ Use the larger amount of water if you like your oats creamy, the smaller amount of water if you like a more rice-like texture.
Instructions
- First thing, before anything else, even before coffee, place the one cup of oats in a small pot that has a lid.
- Add your desired amount of water (I like 4 cups because I like creamy oats)
- Bring oats and water to a boil together with the lid off and boil for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the element, put a lid on to cover the oatmeal tightly and let sit, undisturbed (but still on the element, which is slowly cooling off), for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes.
- This is why the oatmeal has to be started first thing. The oatmeal can come to a boil while we are making coffee/tea. And then it can sit on the dwindling heat of the element and thicken up while we start on school lunches, or start chopping fruit and nuts for the porridge toppings, all without risk of burning.
- Open the pot, stir the now cooked, thickened and creamy oatmeal. Serve to yourself and your family, with any toppings they desire.
This oatmeal is very creamy and good–just like I had as a kid. Thanks
This is a great method! It’s so much less gummy in texture than how I made it before, and works perfectly with my dog-walking schedule before work.
Thanks for posting this recipe. I love oatmeal as well and I am going to try this now. I like the fact that it can sit and “cook” while doing something else and that it will not burn.
I’m so glad i found your site, and this recipe for oatmeal..WOW…you definitely know your oatmeal. I followed your directions about soaking it before hand. I used 4c. water and 1c oatmeal. I let it sit about 2 1/2 hours. Followed the rest of directions and voila! Just the consistency I was hoping for! Thank you for sharing.
I noticed that your recipe is missing the amount of oats.
ooops! Thanks, I will change that right now!
When it says “let sit” does that mean that you turn the element off? I can’t see an instruction to do that…or to turn it down…Thanks, I really want to make these
Yes, turn the element off and let sit, covered, in the dwindling heat. I will make that change right now so that it is clear! Thank you for pointing that out.
Love old fashioned oats for breakfast too. I also love them cooked on the stove as opposed to “nuked” in the microwave where they are entirely too chewy and dry, even when I put enough liquid in them. We have a gas stove, but heavy stainless steel pans that hold the heat, so your method still works pretty well. However, it works well using a gas stove for me to just turn them down to the lowest setting and keep stirring occasionally for a bit before I turn them completely off.
Hi Melanie, your method is how I usually cook my oats as well, but this “sitting there” method is a good one for busy mornings, so I don’t forget and burn the oats! LOL
There are just two of us and I made too much! Do you have any ideas for what to do with leftovers? Or is there a simple reheat method that I can use for tomorrow? 🙏
You can reheat the leftovers tomorrow! Other ways to use up leftover oatmeal: in bread, pancakes or muffins. you’ll have to search for a recipes online – I don’t have one.
I started the recipe while reading this and then saw your admission that it’s not quick or dirty. So I’m going to have to try this recipe another time. I’m hungry now!
I mean, it’s pretty quick – ten minutes. And it’s all hands-off. So I start the oatmeal, set it aside, then make my tea and empty the dishwasher, and then I have hot large flake oatmeal to eat 🙂
I’ve now made this twice, love how easy it is and I’m with you creamy oats are the GOAT.
Thank you so much!