Great Oatmeal Tricks

     Page Two Hundred Forty-Seven.
     Want to know how to dress up oatmeal when you're still asleep and can't think clearly? Here are some little hints.

     1) Add a tablespoon of bran to each serving of oatmeal while cooking. You'll also have to add a touch more water, too. This extra fiber adds nutrition and also makes the bowl of deliciousness more filling; thereby, keeping you from craving your next meal for a longer duration.
     2) Add some craisins, raisins, chopped dates, walnuts, pecans, pistachios or whatever you like while cooking. Again, add a little extra water. Be prepared, the cooking process will reconstitute the dried fruit and it will be warm, gooey, ooey and yummy. All these items will add even more healthful bulk, to keep you full longer. If adding the tree nuts, you'll get that much more protein.
     3) Add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger or cardamom. Add vanilla extract or other extracts:  almond, orange, lemon, mint, butter rum, etc. while cooking. Pure flavor.
     4) Add brown sugar while cooking. There's no law against a little sweetness and malty flavor.
     5) After cooking, add maple syrup or table syrup. What was that about no law against sweetness?
     6) Top with finely diced fresh fruit like apples. Or toss on some berries, bananas or... why the possibilities are endless. Sprinkle on some crunchy granola. Yum
     7) Top with milk. This increases the protein, of course, and also if you didn't add enough cooking water, the milk will fill in the moisture gaps. This protein and calcium also makes it a complete and balanced meal.
     8) Prepare all the dry ingredients the night before. Put everything into the sauce pan and cover with the lid. Refrigerate or not, who cares? Then, when you arise in the morning, there's no thought involved. Just add the liquids, cook slowly for 5 minutes and chow down.
     9) For example, Orange Creamsicle Oatmeal: vanilla extract, orange extract, grated orange rind, white sugar and milk. Or Lemon-Poppy Oatmeal. Or Butter-Rum Oatmeal with extra butter added. Or Sweet Green Tea Oatmeal made with green tea instead of water. That would be good with cardamom, honey and chopped dates. Hawaiian Oatmeal cooked with a combination of water and pineapple juice and topped with more pineapple, sweetened coconut, chopped walnuts or almonds, coconut milk and topped with a marachino cherry. Come up with your own combinations. Anything you can create and cook at home will be substantially healthier than a McMuffin, doughnut or something prepared straight from a box in the freezer. 
     10) Remember, always add that bran to increase the nutrition.

Noodle Kugel To Dance For.

     Page Two Hundred Twenty-Two.
     Noodle Kugel is nothing but noodle pudding with a different name and. it's too good for words; in fact, even bad noodle kugel is still good. It's easy to make and it's not healthy at all, but who cares? Here's the best recipe I've found.

Ingredients:
NOODLE COMPONENT:
1 pound wide egg noodles
3/4 stick butter.

FILLING COMPONENT:
3 ounces cream cheese
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup apricot nectar
1 cup milk.

TOPPING:
3 cups crushed corn flakes - measured after crushing
3/4 stick softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.
Cook and drain noodles; add butter.
While noodles are cooking, beat together all filling ingredients.
In 9" X 13" baking dish, mix noodles and filling.
Place all topping ingredients in large bowl and mix with fingers. Sprinkle over noodles.
Bake for 1 hour uncovered.
Yum, yum.

On Learning to Make Cinnamon Bread

     Page Forty-Eight.
     One day in about '91, I was sitting in the Shapiro's kitchen trying to figure out what to eat. I wasn't having much luck. Have you ever been there? You know you're hungry, but with the Lord as your witness you just don't know what you're hungry for. So you just sit and hope that some form of food items screams out your name. Well it wasn't happening.
     In walks Skedaddle. He must've been fifteen or so. He looked at me and noticed my disability. "What's wrong with you?"
     "I'm hungry, but I don't know what to eat."
     "Hmm. That is a problem." He proceeded to do whatever it was he'd come into the kitchen for. After a moment or two he said, "I know. How about having some Cinnamon Bread."
     I contemplated that for a long moment. "That's a good idea. I haven't had that in a long time."
     "Good."
     So, innocently enough, I started making my cinnamon bread. I toasted the white bread, spread it with butter and lightly sprinkled on some sugar and then some cinnamon.
     "What are you doing?"
     "What'do'yo mean. I'm making cinnamon toast like you suggested."  
     "You're not making it right.Here lemme show you." With that, he grabbed the sugar and just poured it on. Then, he grabbed the cinnamon and poured it on. "Now, this is how to make Cinnamon Bread."
     "Thish ish good. " I said in between mouth fulls.
     "I told you."
     The next time you make Cinnamon Bread, add WAY too much sugar and cinnamon. It'll be just right.