I posted Ninja Turtle Soup last year about this time. Split pea with ham. This version is a mild vegetarian version, just as tasty and just as easy. New Year's must make me crave something simple and healthy after all the rich dishes and sweet treats of Christmas. Try this one out. It freezes well if it makes lots more than your family will eat. Or just cut the recipe in half.
Enjoy the New Year.
Split Pea Soup
1 lb green split peas
1 c. sliced celery
1 small onion, chopped
2 c. carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cut in small chunks
1 T. curry powder
1 t. turmeric
1 t. powdered garlic
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1 t. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
about 10 c. water
Place everything in a 4-qt crockpot. Cook on high for 2 hours. Turn to low, stir once. Cook another 3 - 6 hours until everything is soft. Good with garlic bread or croutons.
Showing posts with label healthy recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy recipe. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Thursday Recipe - Fish ideas and Mango Salsa
I had a friend ask me how to cook fish this week. That started me thinking. Fish is healthy, fish is good for you, and most people don't like fish. It can be tricky to cook. Overcooked fish is rubbery and nasty. Old fish tastes fishy and not in a pleasant way. So here are my suggestions and recommendations for cooking fish.
Buying fish: I live in Utah, nowhere near the oceans or commercial fisheries. My best bet to get great fish is to buy the individually packaged, flash frozen fillets. Tilapia is a great fish - firm so it holds up well to most cooking techniques, mild flavored so you can season it any way you want. Salmon is good, but it can be expensive. I wait until the stores run specials or I look for the flash frozen fillets. Salmon has a much stronger taste than tilapia. There are lots of other varieties of fish, but those are the two I usually buy.
Ways to cook fish:
Breaded and deep fried - go to your local fast food place that sells fish fillets. It's really the best way to get good tasting fried fish.
Pan fried - This is my favorite way. It's fast, easy, and healthy.
Melt 1 t. butter in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Add a frozen fish fillet. Yes, I said frozen. Don't bother thawing it more than needed to get it out of the packaging. Sprinkle with your choice of seasoning. Cook for 3-5 minutes, just until fish starts to turn opaque around the edges. Turn fillet over, cook another 2-4 minutes until fish flakes easily. If the fillet is thick, it may take longer. If it is a thin fillet, it may take a lot less time. You want the seasonings to brown just slightly. If you are cooking fish with skin, like salmon, you can cook the skin side longer until it starts to crisp on the edges.
Seasoning ideas:
Lemon pepper - sprinkle with 1/2 - 1 t. of lemon pepper seasoning
Curry - sprinkle with 1/2 t. curry powder, add salt and pepper to taste
Dill - sprinkle with 1/2 t. dill weed, 1 t. lemon juice, and salt to taste
Caraway - sprinkle fish with 1/4 t. caraway seeds and salt to taste. Serve with sticky rice and mandarin oranges (salmon is great with this)
When seasoning fish, remember that most fish is very mild in flavor. Sniff the spice or herb you want to try. If it smells like it would go, try a little. If the flavor works, you can make it stronger by adding more of the seasoning. Stronger flavored fish like salmon can stand up to spicier seasonings.
One of my favorite ways to eat fish is with Mango Salsa. Cook the fish with just salt and pepper. Serve it with the fruit salsa over the top.
Mango Salso
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped into tiny bits
1/4 c. red onion, minced small
1 T. rice vinegar or white vinegar
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. dried parsley
Mix onion and vinegar in bowl. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Add everything else. Stir gently to mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Makes about 2 cups of salsa.
Fresh pineapple can be substituted for the mangoes if you prefer.
If you like it, you can add chopped fresh cilantro to the salsa.
Buying fish: I live in Utah, nowhere near the oceans or commercial fisheries. My best bet to get great fish is to buy the individually packaged, flash frozen fillets. Tilapia is a great fish - firm so it holds up well to most cooking techniques, mild flavored so you can season it any way you want. Salmon is good, but it can be expensive. I wait until the stores run specials or I look for the flash frozen fillets. Salmon has a much stronger taste than tilapia. There are lots of other varieties of fish, but those are the two I usually buy.
Ways to cook fish:
Breaded and deep fried - go to your local fast food place that sells fish fillets. It's really the best way to get good tasting fried fish.
Pan fried - This is my favorite way. It's fast, easy, and healthy.
Melt 1 t. butter in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Add a frozen fish fillet. Yes, I said frozen. Don't bother thawing it more than needed to get it out of the packaging. Sprinkle with your choice of seasoning. Cook for 3-5 minutes, just until fish starts to turn opaque around the edges. Turn fillet over, cook another 2-4 minutes until fish flakes easily. If the fillet is thick, it may take longer. If it is a thin fillet, it may take a lot less time. You want the seasonings to brown just slightly. If you are cooking fish with skin, like salmon, you can cook the skin side longer until it starts to crisp on the edges.
Seasoning ideas:
Lemon pepper - sprinkle with 1/2 - 1 t. of lemon pepper seasoning
Curry - sprinkle with 1/2 t. curry powder, add salt and pepper to taste
Dill - sprinkle with 1/2 t. dill weed, 1 t. lemon juice, and salt to taste
Caraway - sprinkle fish with 1/4 t. caraway seeds and salt to taste. Serve with sticky rice and mandarin oranges (salmon is great with this)
When seasoning fish, remember that most fish is very mild in flavor. Sniff the spice or herb you want to try. If it smells like it would go, try a little. If the flavor works, you can make it stronger by adding more of the seasoning. Stronger flavored fish like salmon can stand up to spicier seasonings.
One of my favorite ways to eat fish is with Mango Salsa. Cook the fish with just salt and pepper. Serve it with the fruit salsa over the top.
Mango Salso
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped into tiny bits
1/4 c. red onion, minced small
1 T. rice vinegar or white vinegar
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. dried parsley
Mix onion and vinegar in bowl. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Add everything else. Stir gently to mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Makes about 2 cups of salsa.
Fresh pineapple can be substituted for the mangoes if you prefer.
If you like it, you can add chopped fresh cilantro to the salsa.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Thursday Recipe - Ninja Turtle Soup and Roasted Garlic
Looking at all the snow outside and hearing the forecast for New Year's Eve (Brrr!), I think soup is in order. This one is easy, fast, and you can either simmer it on the stove or toss it into the crockpot. And it's healthy, too. Oh, did I forget to mention it's delicious? This is one my kids, even the little ones, request. Except for one daughter, but she hates split peas.
The name came about years ago. Split pea soup is very economical. With less than $5 of ingredients, you can make a giant pot that will feed a large family. We're talking ten people at my house. It's also great for using up those bits that aren't quite enough for other recipes. Or for that ham bone from the Christmas ham. You saved it, didn't you? This recipe is almost worth buying another ham, cooking it, and saving the bone so you can make this soup. Ham is on sale this time of year. Stores are clearing out all that Christmas fluffery, including the hams. So go buy a bone-in ham roast. This soup is that good.
Oh, wait, I was talking about the name. My oldest was about four. I served the soup and she wouldn't eat it because it was green. So I told her it was made from ninja turtles. That did the trick. She and her siblings requested ninja turtle soup. It gives you super powers. Really.
Ninja Turtle Soup
1 12 oz bag dried green split peas
1 small onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 ham bone, plus any ham that is still on the bone
1 t. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. ground black pepper
Put everything in a large pot. Add about 8 c. water, just enough to cover vegetables and most of the bone. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Add more water if it gets too thick. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn on the bottom. After 1 hour, remove ham bone. Let cool for a few minutes. Remove meat and discard bone. Shred meat and add back into the soup. Cook for another 10 - 20 minutes, until vegetables are very soft and peas turn to mush. Stir, add salt if needed, and serve with croutons, crackers, toast, corn chips, or whatever you like.
Crock Pot version: Put everything in a large (4-5 quart) crockpot. Cook on high about 4 hours, low about 8 hours. Then remove the ham bone. After you add the meat back in, cover and cook at least 1 hour.
Variations:
Substitute 1 lb bulk sausage for the ham. Brown, drain off grease, and add to soup.
Substitute 1 lb ground turkey for the ham. Add several strips of bacon, cooked and diced, for flavor if desired
Add whatever vegetables you have that need used:
That single raw potato - chop small and add
Old celery - slice thin and add
Green onions - substitute for the other onion, or use as a garnish
Cabbage - shred 1-2 c. cabbage. Stir in the last 15 minutes of cooking time
Bell peppers - chop and add the last 15 minutes of cooking time
Canned vegetables - stir in the last 15 minutes of cooking time - corn, green beans, etc.
Parsnips or jicama or other starchy vegetables - peel if needed, chop and add
Mushrooms - wash and slice 8 oz mushrooms, any variety
Garlic - smash a couple cloves and add with the onions, or add some roasted garlic
Feeling exotic? Try some other spices in the soup:
Mediterranean - add 1/2 t. each thyme, basil, rosemary
Indian - add 2 t. curry powder
Hot and spicy - add 1/2 t. cumin, 1/2 t. chili powder, and cayenne pepper to taste
And for a bonus recipe -
Roasted Garlic
Several heads of fresh garlic
Vegetable Oil
Slice tops from garlic heads, just until bulbs show. Remove excess paper from heads if desired. Place garlic heads, cut side up, in foil lined baking dish. Crimp foil to keep heads upright if needed. Drizzle oil over heads, about 1/2 t. per head. Bake at 350° F for 1 - 2 hours until heads are browned and bulbs are soft. Let cool for at least one hour. Remove bulbs from heads, squeezing usually works but it's messy. Use disposable gloves if you don't want your hands to smell like garlic for a week. Pack bulbs into clean glass jar. Add enough oil to cover. Screw lid on tightly and refrigerate for up to six months.
Use roasted garlic for making garlic bread, adding to soups or casseroles, mashing into potatoes, or anywhere else you like garlic. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of garlic and cuts the bitterness.
To make garlic butter - soften 1/2 c. real butter. Add 1/4 c. roasted garlic cloves (don't worry about adding the oil from the jar, it tastes good, too) and 1 t. salt. Mash with a fork until it is all squished together into a smooth paste. You can add 1 t. dried parsley for color if you want. Spread on French bread, toast under a broiler (watch it carefully, it burns very fast), and enjoy.
How about having garlic toast with Ninja Turtle Soup? Mmmm, now I'm hungry.
The name came about years ago. Split pea soup is very economical. With less than $5 of ingredients, you can make a giant pot that will feed a large family. We're talking ten people at my house. It's also great for using up those bits that aren't quite enough for other recipes. Or for that ham bone from the Christmas ham. You saved it, didn't you? This recipe is almost worth buying another ham, cooking it, and saving the bone so you can make this soup. Ham is on sale this time of year. Stores are clearing out all that Christmas fluffery, including the hams. So go buy a bone-in ham roast. This soup is that good.
Oh, wait, I was talking about the name. My oldest was about four. I served the soup and she wouldn't eat it because it was green. So I told her it was made from ninja turtles. That did the trick. She and her siblings requested ninja turtle soup. It gives you super powers. Really.
Ninja Turtle Soup
1 12 oz bag dried green split peas
1 small onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 ham bone, plus any ham that is still on the bone
1 t. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. ground black pepper
Put everything in a large pot. Add about 8 c. water, just enough to cover vegetables and most of the bone. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Add more water if it gets too thick. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn on the bottom. After 1 hour, remove ham bone. Let cool for a few minutes. Remove meat and discard bone. Shred meat and add back into the soup. Cook for another 10 - 20 minutes, until vegetables are very soft and peas turn to mush. Stir, add salt if needed, and serve with croutons, crackers, toast, corn chips, or whatever you like.
Crock Pot version: Put everything in a large (4-5 quart) crockpot. Cook on high about 4 hours, low about 8 hours. Then remove the ham bone. After you add the meat back in, cover and cook at least 1 hour.
Variations:
Substitute 1 lb bulk sausage for the ham. Brown, drain off grease, and add to soup.
Substitute 1 lb ground turkey for the ham. Add several strips of bacon, cooked and diced, for flavor if desired
Add whatever vegetables you have that need used:
That single raw potato - chop small and add
Old celery - slice thin and add
Green onions - substitute for the other onion, or use as a garnish
Cabbage - shred 1-2 c. cabbage. Stir in the last 15 minutes of cooking time
Bell peppers - chop and add the last 15 minutes of cooking time
Canned vegetables - stir in the last 15 minutes of cooking time - corn, green beans, etc.
Parsnips or jicama or other starchy vegetables - peel if needed, chop and add
Mushrooms - wash and slice 8 oz mushrooms, any variety
Garlic - smash a couple cloves and add with the onions, or add some roasted garlic
Feeling exotic? Try some other spices in the soup:
Mediterranean - add 1/2 t. each thyme, basil, rosemary
Indian - add 2 t. curry powder
Hot and spicy - add 1/2 t. cumin, 1/2 t. chili powder, and cayenne pepper to taste
And for a bonus recipe -
Roasted Garlic
Several heads of fresh garlic
Vegetable Oil
Slice tops from garlic heads, just until bulbs show. Remove excess paper from heads if desired. Place garlic heads, cut side up, in foil lined baking dish. Crimp foil to keep heads upright if needed. Drizzle oil over heads, about 1/2 t. per head. Bake at 350° F for 1 - 2 hours until heads are browned and bulbs are soft. Let cool for at least one hour. Remove bulbs from heads, squeezing usually works but it's messy. Use disposable gloves if you don't want your hands to smell like garlic for a week. Pack bulbs into clean glass jar. Add enough oil to cover. Screw lid on tightly and refrigerate for up to six months.
Use roasted garlic for making garlic bread, adding to soups or casseroles, mashing into potatoes, or anywhere else you like garlic. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of garlic and cuts the bitterness.
To make garlic butter - soften 1/2 c. real butter. Add 1/4 c. roasted garlic cloves (don't worry about adding the oil from the jar, it tastes good, too) and 1 t. salt. Mash with a fork until it is all squished together into a smooth paste. You can add 1 t. dried parsley for color if you want. Spread on French bread, toast under a broiler (watch it carefully, it burns very fast), and enjoy.
How about having garlic toast with Ninja Turtle Soup? Mmmm, now I'm hungry.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Bonus Recipes! Merry Christmas
My family had their annual Christmas potluck party last night. We did soup and salad. These two soups I made were a big hit. Here are the recipes, as best I can remember. I'm a dump and stir cook, dump it in and stir it until it looks right, so trying to remember what I put in gets to be a challenge. My husband once accused me of never being able to make the same dish twice, mostly because I couldn't remember how I changed the recipe. This should be pretty close. You may need to tweak the spices for your own personal taste.
Chicken Mushroom & Leek Soup
2 or 3 leeeks
2 T. butter
2 c. carrots, peeled & sliced
2 chicken breasts
1 t. oil
10 - 12 medium crimini mushrooms
1 t. curry powder
1/2 t. turmeric
2 t. lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 t. paprika
1/8 t. cayenne pepper powder
Trim roots and tops of stems from leeks, discard. Slice leeks in half lengthwise. Soak in large tub or sink of cold water for 10 - 15 minutes, rinse very well to remove all sand and dirt. Drain and slice crosswise into thin slices. Melt butter in large saucepan, add leeks, cover and cook for 10 - 15 minutes until leeks are tender. Add carrots and 4 - 6 c. water, enough to cover. Leave on low heat. Heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat, add chicken breasts. Cook until lightly browned and meat is mostly done. Cube chicken into bite size pieces, add to soup mixture. Wash mushrooms, slice, and add to soup. Add all spices and enough water to cover vegetables. Cover and cook on low 1 - 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Kale Soup
1/2 c. diced onion
3 - 4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 lb. ground turkey
4 - 5 medium potatoes, cubed, about 6 c.
4 - 5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced, about 3 c.
1 t. ground sage
1 t. rosemary leaves
1 t. thyme leaves
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
2 t. salt
1 bunch kale
Cook bacon in frying pan until well-done (thick cut bacon won't always crisp, which is fine for this recipe). Remove and set on paper towels to drain. Add onion to bacon fat, cook until tender, about five minutes. Remove onion and place in large stock pot. Cook turkey in remaining bacon fat until meat is done, crumbling it into small pieces. Add turkey to pot with onion. Slice bacon into small bits, add to mixture. Add potatoes, carrots, and seasonings to pot. Add enough water to barely cover vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 1 - 2 hours, until potatoes and carrots are soft. Wash kale and chop crosswise into strips. Add to soup, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken Mushroom & Leek Soup
2 or 3 leeeks
2 T. butter
2 c. carrots, peeled & sliced
2 chicken breasts
1 t. oil
10 - 12 medium crimini mushrooms
1 t. curry powder
1/2 t. turmeric
2 t. lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 t. paprika
1/8 t. cayenne pepper powder
Trim roots and tops of stems from leeks, discard. Slice leeks in half lengthwise. Soak in large tub or sink of cold water for 10 - 15 minutes, rinse very well to remove all sand and dirt. Drain and slice crosswise into thin slices. Melt butter in large saucepan, add leeks, cover and cook for 10 - 15 minutes until leeks are tender. Add carrots and 4 - 6 c. water, enough to cover. Leave on low heat. Heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat, add chicken breasts. Cook until lightly browned and meat is mostly done. Cube chicken into bite size pieces, add to soup mixture. Wash mushrooms, slice, and add to soup. Add all spices and enough water to cover vegetables. Cover and cook on low 1 - 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Kale Soup
1/2 c. diced onion
3 - 4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 lb. ground turkey
4 - 5 medium potatoes, cubed, about 6 c.
4 - 5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced, about 3 c.
1 t. ground sage
1 t. rosemary leaves
1 t. thyme leaves
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
2 t. salt
1 bunch kale
Cook bacon in frying pan until well-done (thick cut bacon won't always crisp, which is fine for this recipe). Remove and set on paper towels to drain. Add onion to bacon fat, cook until tender, about five minutes. Remove onion and place in large stock pot. Cook turkey in remaining bacon fat until meat is done, crumbling it into small pieces. Add turkey to pot with onion. Slice bacon into small bits, add to mixture. Add potatoes, carrots, and seasonings to pot. Add enough water to barely cover vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 1 - 2 hours, until potatoes and carrots are soft. Wash kale and chop crosswise into strips. Add to soup, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Thursday Recipe - Spinach Salad
Guess what? It's National Eat Bacon Week! So in honor of that new holiday—
What do you mean it isn't a real holiday? It should be. Okay, I admit I just made it up. Bacon is one of the four basic food groups at my house. The others are chocolate, cold cereal, and granola bars.
Bacon can be healthy, if you add in enough other vegetables. Here's one of my kids' favorites with bacon.
Spinach Salad
1/2 c. red onion, sliced very thin
2 T. white vinegar
6 slices bacon
6 c. fresh spinach
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 c. roasted salted pecans, chopped
Poppy Seed Dressing (see below)
Put onion and vinegar in small bowl, set aside (if the onion is really mild you can skip this step). Cook bacon until crisp. Cool and crumble into small pieces. Arrange spinach on a large platter. Drain vinegar from onion. Top with cranberries, oranges, and onion. Serve with dressing.
Poppy Seed Dressing
3 limes
1 T. vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 T. poppy seeds
Grate the zest from the limes, you need about 2 t., then juice the limes. Measure 2 T. lime juice into a small mixing bowl. Add the zest, sugar, pepper, salt, and mustard. Beat with a mixer until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly add the oil, beating well after each addition. Dressing should thicken when you're adding the oil. Stir in poppy seeds. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. If it separates, just stir before serving.
What do you mean it isn't a real holiday? It should be. Okay, I admit I just made it up. Bacon is one of the four basic food groups at my house. The others are chocolate, cold cereal, and granola bars.
Bacon can be healthy, if you add in enough other vegetables. Here's one of my kids' favorites with bacon.
Spinach Salad
1/2 c. red onion, sliced very thin
2 T. white vinegar
6 slices bacon
6 c. fresh spinach
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 c. roasted salted pecans, chopped
Poppy Seed Dressing (see below)
Put onion and vinegar in small bowl, set aside (if the onion is really mild you can skip this step). Cook bacon until crisp. Cool and crumble into small pieces. Arrange spinach on a large platter. Drain vinegar from onion. Top with cranberries, oranges, and onion. Serve with dressing.
Poppy Seed Dressing
3 limes
1 T. vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 T. poppy seeds
Grate the zest from the limes, you need about 2 t., then juice the limes. Measure 2 T. lime juice into a small mixing bowl. Add the zest, sugar, pepper, salt, and mustard. Beat with a mixer until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly add the oil, beating well after each addition. Dressing should thicken when you're adding the oil. Stir in poppy seeds. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. If it separates, just stir before serving.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thursday Recipe - Hmm, Oatmeal?
Next week I'll post Thanksgiving leftover recipes, promise. Today, though, due to another stomach virus and other ickiness, I'm sticking with something basic.
Oatmeal is one of those foods that's good for you, so most people hate it. If it isn't cooked right, it is nasty and bland. Add the right stuff to it, and it becomes a wonderful breakfast full of goodness and deliciousness.
Try this recipe if you want to really experience oatmeal.
Oatmeal Supreme
4 c. hot water
1/2 c. raisins
1 small apple, cored and chopped
1/3 c. brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 c. plain instant oatmeal
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger, optional but tasty
Bring water to a boil. Add raisins, apples, sugar, and salt. Bring back to a boil. Stir in oats. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add cinnamon and stir well.
If it is too thick, add milk or water to thin. If too thin, cook a few minutes longer.
Optional toppings:
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. dried fruit - blueberries, currants, cherries, dates, mango, pineapple, whatever you want to try
1/2 c. ripe pear, cored and chopped
1/4 c. maple syrup
Extra spices - try just a pinch or up to 1/2 t. of nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, or allspice.
1 t. vanilla
1/2 - 1 t. rum flavoring
1/2 - 1 t. almond extract
The whole idea behind cooking is to experiment so don't be afraid to play around with spices. The worst that will happen is you'll make something inedible.
Oatmeal is one of those foods that's good for you, so most people hate it. If it isn't cooked right, it is nasty and bland. Add the right stuff to it, and it becomes a wonderful breakfast full of goodness and deliciousness.
Try this recipe if you want to really experience oatmeal.
Oatmeal Supreme
4 c. hot water
1/2 c. raisins
1 small apple, cored and chopped
1/3 c. brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 c. plain instant oatmeal
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger, optional but tasty
Bring water to a boil. Add raisins, apples, sugar, and salt. Bring back to a boil. Stir in oats. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add cinnamon and stir well.
If it is too thick, add milk or water to thin. If too thin, cook a few minutes longer.
Optional toppings:
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. dried fruit - blueberries, currants, cherries, dates, mango, pineapple, whatever you want to try
1/2 c. ripe pear, cored and chopped
1/4 c. maple syrup
Extra spices - try just a pinch or up to 1/2 t. of nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, or allspice.
1 t. vanilla
1/2 - 1 t. rum flavoring
1/2 - 1 t. almond extract
The whole idea behind cooking is to experiment so don't be afraid to play around with spices. The worst that will happen is you'll make something inedible.
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