Baked Oatmeal

In his 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, Samuel Johnson gives a curious definition for the word oats: ‘a grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.’ To which a witty Scot reportedly replied, “…that is why in England you have such fine horses and in Scotland we have such fine men!”

Give the Scots a lot of credit for their cutting-edge stance on oats. Scientists now recognize the health benefits of soluble fiber which oats have in good measure. No matter how you slice (or roll) them, oats retain their nutritional value.  

Groats, the oat grain with only the outer hull removed, requires soaking and prolonged cooking time. If you like the chewiness of groats but want less prep time, steel-cut oats are just the ticket, although still taking about 40 minutes to cook. Rolled oats, named old-fashioned by the Quaker folks, is groats that have been steamed and rolled to substantially reduce cooking time. If five minutes is too long for your hurry-up mornings, quick-cooking oats is rolled thinner allowing it to cook up quicker. Then there’s instant oatmeal, very thin rolled oats already cooked. Not at all chewy, it provides a super-quick breakfast-in-a-packet. 

Here are some ways to have “instant” oats without investing in those little packets:

• Use a double-boiler. Combine oats, salt and water in the top of a double boiler. Cook directly over the heat until it begins to thicken, and then set it over simmering water to finish cooking while you get ready for your day.

• Use a slow cooker. The night before, combine steel-cut oats, salt and water; set the cooker dial on low. Next morning, add your favorite toppings to the freshly cooked oats.

• Enjoy this recipe for baked oatmeal; then keep leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days, if it lasts that long!