Oatmeal cookies, instant oatmeal, Oat grain breads, just to name a few. Oats have been part of the world’s diet. It’s been used for everything from deserts to grain for animals, and is still one of the most popular breakfast menu items in the world.
Oatmeal month is your opportunity to reacquaint yourself with this phenomenal grain, and learn to truly love this staple of delicious cooking.
History of Oatmeal Month
Every month the Whole Grains Council celebrates another staple of the worlds grain supply, and January was selected as Oatmeal Month. We buy more oats in January than at any other time of year, and they stand unique as having never had their bran and germ separated during the process.
This is why oats are so amazing for you, you’re getting the whole grain every time you open a package.
There are a variety of ways of producing oats, but the most standard and traditional method is steaming them and rolling them out between steel rollers so that they’re completely flat. How flat they’re pressed changes how quickly they cook. Those who have a love of chewy, nutty oats should give steel-cut oats a try, they’re chopped into tinier pieces to aid in the absorption of water. Unlike most oats, these are cooked for nearly 30 minutes to create a rich and thick porridge.
How to celebrate Oatmeal Month
Oatmeal month is best celebrated by trying out a huge variety of new recipes that include this incredibly versatile and tasty treat. For those who may not have their own favorite recipes, we’re going to share one of our favorites today, the delicious and magnificent treat known as:
Soft Chewy Oatmeal Cookies recipe
- 1 1/4 c softened butter
- 3/4 c packed sugar (brown)
- 1/2 c white sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 t Baking Soda
- 1 t ground cinnamon
- 1/2 t kosher salt
- 1/4 t nutmeg
- 3 c Oats uncooked
Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a large bowl by beating margarine and sugars in it until it’s thoroughly creamed. Mix in the egg and vanilla, and beat the mixture well. Then include flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon; mix well. Add in the oats and mix it up. Once it’s thoroughly mixed take round tablespoons of dough and drop them onto ungreased cookie sheets. Then bake them for 8 to 9 minutes, and allow to cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Be sure to stow them covered!
