During the depths of winter and the bone-chilling cold that comes with it, nothing comforts more than something hot, something thick enough to stick to your ribs, something tasty enough to break you free from the drab-ness of winter.  Oatmeal is neither a revolutionary nor a terribly novel addition to one’s collection of winter standbys.  However, there are delightful little ways to make this traditional breakfast far more exciting and tasty.  I have to thank Kalyn for the initial inspiration for this dish, and my dear friend Josh, who apparently is a peanut butter oatmeal lover.

This is less a recipe than simply a suggestion for experimentation.  I never use actual measurements and frequently just adjust the seasonings to my taste at the moment.  I do, however, always start off with steel cut oatmeal.  Unlike the standard rolled oats (think Quaker) that are most common today, steel cut oats haven’t been processed yet so they are round little grains.  Due to their unprocessed nature, they don’t cook nearly as fast as the flattened/rolled oats do (although I have seen Quick-Cooking Steel Cut Oats at the store but have yet to test them out).  Many people prefer steel cut oats because of their nutritional value (they are more fibrous and less processed than their rolled cousins which is great for people looking to up their whole grain intake!) however, I love their extra nutty flavor and almost chewy texture.

Traditional instructions for steel cut oatmeal generally require about 30 minutes of stove top simmering.  Frankly, when you are reaching for the oatmeal chances are good that you have no interest in standing over the stove for 30 minutes.  I certainly don’t!  I’m sure that my fellow-foodies would be appalled at my admitting that I actually cook my steel cut oats in the microwave (gasp!).  In a large bowl, combine about 1/4 cup of the steel cut oats with about 1 cup of water.  I always throw in a pinch of salt for flavor.  Then microwave at about 3/4 power level (on my machine it’s power level 7, but you probably will have to fiddle around with your levels to see what works . . . like I said, this isn’t really a recipe, more a license to experiment) in 5 minute intervals, stirring every couple minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.  Yes, this is a cheater’s method for what is traditionally a labor of love.  And, yes, you will probably still spend 15 minutes in front of the microwave.  But, hey, it saves you from washing a big pot afterward!  And for me, that’s justification enough.

While the oatmeal is still hot, drop approximately 2 TBL of peanut butter directly into the oatmeal and stir until well combined.  If you are using natural peanut butter (my personal preference), you’ll want to add 1-2 TBL of your choice of sweetener (I used Splenda for this batch).  If you use regular peanut butter that already has sugar added to it you probably will not need to add any additional sweetners.  Toss in 1 tsp of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg and stir until combined.  I like to top mine off with a sprinkling of kosher salt to match the sweetness.

And yes, peanut butter oatmeal is probably the least photogenic of all foods.  However, while it may look like dog food and make for less-than-ideal food photography . . . I can attest to its ultimate eat-ability!

Similar Recipes:

• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
• Peanut Butter Crepes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling

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