UOE (Ultimate Oatmeal Experience)

Okay, so it isn't about Christmas, but this is one of my favorite winter treats, and today was the first morning Hubby decided it was cold enough to make it. He's a by-guess-&-by-golly cook, so this recipe will be a little vague, but you'll get the idea, then you can tweak it to suit your own tastes.

He starts with a little less water than the standard old fashioned slow-cooking oatmeal recipe calls for, brings it to a boil, adds a tiny bit of salt, then adds fresh apple pieces and either craisins or raisins. Then he brings it to a second boil, puts in some maple syrup and a little brown sugar, plus the standard quantity of oats. Finally he adds his special blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, and cooks until done. To make it really decadent, we add a little half & half before serving. There's no need for any additional sweetener.

This oatmeal is so good it's like eating freshly-baked oatmeal cookies for breakfast, and, thanks to the microwave, the leftovers will be just as good tomorrow morning.

Here are some holiday recipe books available at OLA.com.