Homemade Instant Oatmeal

3 cups quick oats, powdered in blender until fine
3 cups quick oats (unpowdered)
2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon

Powder the 3 cups oats, mix in large bowl with other ingredients. May adjust flavourings with nutmeg, brown sugar, maple sugar raisins or other dried fruit.

To serve, measure 1/2 cup of instant oatmeal mix with 3/4 cup boiling water.

Makes about 11 servings.

Buttermilk Corn Bread

From The Book of Bread, copyright 1982

3/4 cup white or yellow cornmeal
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup sour cream plus 1/4 cup milk, or 1-1/4 cups buttermilk

Makes one 9-inch round

Sift together the corn meal, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and brown sugar. Sift again.

Beat the egg thoroughly, then add the melted butter, sour cream and milk, or buttermilk, and beat them all together. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and beat thoroughly. Pour the batter into a buttered round 9-inch shallow earthenware dish or cake pan. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm from the pan.

Suggested variations: Stir in a few chopped hot green peppers (from a bottle). Or add about 3/4 cup diced tart apples. Stir any additions into the dough just before baking.

Caribbean Black Bean Soup

1 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, diced
1 cup ham, diced (optional)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can stewed tomatoes, blended
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 litre water
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. brown sugar
1-4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Saute onion in oil. Stir in other ingredients and cook 40 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. Adjust seasonings and serve. Freezes well.

Cornmeal Muffins

1 cup flour (or 1-1/4 cups spelt flour)
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter (may use part safflower oil)
1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 12 muffin tins, or use muffin papers.

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl. Add wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir together just until flour is moistened. Divide into 12 muffin cups.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes.

See also: Buttermilk Corn Bread