Oatmeal ... The Other Breakfast

I surprised Maria Padilla on Saturday, showing up as she was having morning coffee at the Cuban eatery Zaza in Altamonte Springs.  "Check out the new item I just had from the menu!" she said. Creamy Cinnamon Oat Meal. Was she kidding?
Over the years, my go-to breakfast has been oatmeal. My friends at Cook's Country convinced me to forget about the quick oats and instead use steel cut oats. I love the crunchy texture and the grainy nature of the steel cut oats and I must have it each morning.
I like preparing the oats the night before. This lets the oats hydrate and soften.
First, toast oats with a small amount of butter to bring out the nutty flavor.
The oats are then cooked in water; you can also use milk or stock. Do not stir the oats while simmering since it gets mushy. Done correctly, the end result is a creamy textured product.
To put the finishing touch at breakfast, in a saucepan add 1/4 cup water or milk, 2/3 cup of the  prepared oat meal, cinnamon and apple and simmer for a 3-5 minutes on medium heat.

Surprisingly, oatmeal is trending across the nation – with spinach, ham, bacon, cheese and other unexpected ingredients. It can all be topped off with flakes of parmesan cheese, and drizzled with truffle oil that oozes deep into the oat grains.
I have always added fruits like apples, berries or raisins. Other exciting combinations are bananas, coconut, carrot spice, cranberry and  orange, or honey and banana.

                                     Basic Steel Cut Oatmeal
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
Stir in 1 cup of steel cut oats. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let rest, covered for 25 minutes.
May be refrigerated and use as desired.

Makes 3-4 servings.

One Pot To An Easy Homey Soup

The problem with pots and pans is you have to put them to use ... especially for "Good Home Cooking."
This dish is another WSJ's "Slow Food Fast," and comes from a chef over in the mother country.
The Journal reports Chef Henderson is known for: "cooking that's both understated and immensely influential." And  her "Mediterranean inflicted dishes are firmly rooted in the soil seasons of Britain."
As tested, the chorizo added a smoky spicy intensity to the stock, and flavored the potatoes and cabbage.
Those ingredients make up the base of this dish. In the end, I added a little of mama's special touch, in this case, sofrito, .... to enhance the culinary flavors of the British.

                                                   
                   
Chorizo Soup with Potato and Cabbage

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced in half moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons sofrito
6 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced
2 bay leaves
3 Medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut bite-size piece
1/4 medium green cabbage, cored and sliced
8 cups chicken stock
Sea salt and black to taste

 Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium heat.
Add onions, garlic and sofrito and sauté to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add chorizo and bay leaves to onions and cook about 5 minutes.
Add potatoes and continue cooking another 5 minutes.
Add cabbage, and season with salt and pepper.
Add chicken stock and to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender but firm