Banana Oatmeal

This is short and sweet.  So much so that it's almost embarrassing to write down as an actual recipe.  Truth be told, it's a go-to for me.  Both kids LOVE it, like yell, "Yay!  Oatmeal!" after asking, "What's for dinner?"  It's just this kind of no-brainer meal that is sanity-saving for me after a long day when I have not planned well and have two exhausted children who need to be in bed asap.  This filling oatmeal is definitely on the wear them out, fill the up, and put them down plan.

 We love steel cut oats.  They are slightly chewy and almost nutty in flavor.  They are also closer to the actual plant than rolled oats, so they are less processed.  Maybe it's my Scottish heritage that makes them a comfort food not the good-for-me factor.

Soaking them makes them more easily digested and their nutrients more bioavailable.  If you are new to soaking (I've not yet graduated to sprouting), here is a quick primer: The whole idea of soaking grains (and nuts, seeds, and beans) is to trick the plant.  The plant is naturally coats its seed with a substance meant to keep it germinating until an animal has eaten it, digested it, and deposited it elsewhere.  It's a very easy and smart way for a plant to spread itself as widely as possible before sprouting a new generation.  Dandelions rely on wind to carry their seeds far and near.  Other plants rely on roaming animals pooping far away. 

On that note, here's the recipe if you still feel like eating:

1 1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 ripe banana
Sea salt
Cultured butter
Cinnamon

Soak the oats perferably overnight or at least 6 hours.  Mine were only soaked for about an hour and did take longer to cook, about 20 minutes.  After soaking, place in a fine strainer and rinse.  Put into a large pot and barley cover with water, about 1/4 above the oats if you barely soaked like me, less if you soaked.

Soaking oats

My very scientific way of measuring

Cook over high heat until boiling, stirring frequently.  Once you get a good rolling boil, reduce heat to low to medium low.  Stir constantly, and cook until thick.  When you scrape your spoon across the bottom of the pan, it should make a line that the oatmeal slowly slides back into.

A rolling boil

Consistency check

Turn the heat off and let cool slightly in the pot.

Chop your banana and divide between two bowls.  Mash with a fork.

Add oatmeal, stir, and top with cultured butter, a few dashed of cinnamon, and maybe some honey.  Honey will make oatmeal soupy, so go easy on it.

Let it sit a few more minutes to cool, let the kids eat, and hope your bowls look like this in a few minutes.

The dinner table was all but silent tonight

Simple Tomato Sauce

Oops!  Forgot to put the garlic in the shot. 

There are so many different ways to concoct this based on what I have on hand that it's challenging to write down.  It's the first thing that turned out delicious consistently with no outside recipe in hand.  It's the dumbed down friend of my all time favorite red sauce recipe--Marcella Hazan's Ragu alla Bolognese.  I believe the proscuitto and cream laden original recipe is from one of her renowned cookbooks.  Mine is a photocopy about 5"x3" that may or may not have come with the food processor my parents got when I was a baby.  Still works just fine.

Maybe you do, but I don't usually have prosciutto, heavy cream, or the time and energy to spend on the food processor.  If your family (or picky kid) prefers smoother sauce, feel free to use the food processor.  Have fun washing it afterwards.  This adaptation is an easy everyday meal.  My pickier kid slurps it up with the chunks of veggies.  He is actually why I started making it instead of falling back on a jar of premade here and there.  He will not touch jarred sauce, even organic and/or reduced sodium, not even for the fun of noodles.  There are some other things he refuses to eat that are extremely processed, kind of like the canary in a mine.  Of course, he'll knock you down for goldfish, marshmallows, and dye-loaded frosting.  

It's also dinner for tomorrow.  We have a busy day that will last well into the afternoon.  I'm not usually one to plan ahead that well, but I had the time and ingredients today.  It also gets better as it sits.  Just leave it in the pot, let it cool, refrigerate, and pull out to reheat in the original pot. 

Are you noticing a theme here?  Minimizing dish washing!

4 carrots peeled and finely chopped
3 stalks celery finely chopped
1 large or 2 regular onions finely chopped
5-8 garlic cloves (We go through a lot of garlic) smashed then minced or peeled and grated on a microplane.

Lots of veggies, but they cook down well.

Smashed, skins still on.

1/3-1/2 cup wine (red or white will do, though the original recipe calls for white), or 1/2 cup any stock (preferably homemade) + 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 lb. ground meat--turkey, beef, venison, chicken, some blend of any of these with sausage shucked from casings)
1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I have not gone so far as to put up my own tomatoes, but a food mill is on my ultimate kitchen tools list)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (we love fire-roasted)
1 6 oz can tomato paste (just in case your sauce doesn't thicken and you like a more stew-like sauce)

Italian seasoning
Nutmeg
Salt & pepper
Olive oil (or bacon grease, ghee, or tallow if you are all into the paleo thing and worried about rancid oils from heat)
Butter

In a large pot (perferably an enameled cast iron dutch oven) heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter over medium high heat.  Once the foam on the butter subsides, add the carrots, celery, onion, and ground meat.  Cook, stirring frequently until veggies are tender and meat is almost cooked through.  This is easiest to tell with beef or venison.  Toss garlic with salt & pepper plus 3-4 dashes of nutmeg on top and give it a quick turn around the pot, maybe 1 minute of constant stirring as garlic burns easily.

Like that hunk 'o turkey?

Excuse my poor exposure here.  Still getting to know the new camera and took these in a hurry.

Add wine and turn heat to high.  Stir constantly until liquid is evaporated almost completely.

It was seriously purple when I first poured in the wine!

When there is little to no liquid, add crushed and diced tomatoes plus a palm full or heaping tablespoon of Italian seasoning.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low or low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.  Maybe stir 2-3 times and replace the lid. 

Again, operator error with the camera.  You get the idea.

Cook uncovered for 15-30 minutes more until slightly reduced and deep red in color.  Add water if it looks too thick for your liking or that can of tomato paste if it looks to thin.  Adjust seasoning if needed.  You could always leave out the dried herbs and add some fresh basil on top before serving.  Sadly, my basil is defunct.

Thick with all the flavors well "married" and ready to eat.