You are what you eat? or What to do with leftover cooked oatmeal.

In an effort to use up perishable food: first, from the fridge; second, from the freezer; and last but most appealing, from my pantry shelves, I began a search for recipes. No, I could not find any that included cooked, cold, clabbered oatmeal. Surprise!? So, I had to invent or adapt recipes to fit my need. (Yes, it is a well ingrained need "to use it up" or "waste not, want not", all the platitudes quoted to me by parents, grandparents, and well-meaning people. Just in case it has become your need too I am passing along my taste-tested recipe; Grandpa says it is not only good but worthy of repetition.)
So, without further palaver, the recipe is as follows:

Oatmeal Muffins

Part 1, Dry ingredients, to be stirred together:

1 cup whole wheat flour (or 2 cups ww to 1 cup all-purpose; also passed taste-test.)

2 cups all-purpose flour (use 2 T of this flour for dredging raisins and nuts)

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Optional: 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cloves (Taste-tested well too.)

Part 2, Liquid or moist ingredients, to be beaten together with each addition:

2 cups cooked oatmeal, cold or warm (but not hot; obviously mine was straight from the fridge)

2 eggs

2/3 cup honey (or sugar or brown sugar)

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 cup canned milk (or regular milk or add 1/3 cup non-instant milk powder to dry ingredients and substitute 1 cup water for the canned milk)

Part 3, Fun stuff from the pantry shelf, to be dredged in flour - that just means, pour the 2 T of flour on top and mix with your hands to coat the pieces and separate the raisins so they will not clump and sink to the bottom:

1 1/3 cups raisins

2/3 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds the first batch and walnuts the second batch.)

Make a "well" in Part 1; add Part 2 all at once, and stir just until moistened. Stir in dredged raisins and nuts. Spoon into greased muffin tins; 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake in 400 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 2 dozen

Best served hot, but still a good anytime snack at room temperature.

Now, for those of you who have other fun stuff in your pantry, like chocolate chips, or in your freezer, like blueberries, you may want to alter Part 3 ingredients. I think chopped fresh cranberries would be tasty. I have a package that I threw in the freezer a couple of months ago; it is begging to be used.

No, pictures. We look pretty much the same, just a wrinkle of two added; and the muffins looked just like muffins do.

Reading instructions for my up-side-down blog.

Just start with the blog titled, Food, Gratitude and Joy, in the side menu; then work your way to the top.
Thanks for your patience!

P.S. The food section is for the grandchildren.

I need help! How do I get the blog to come out in the order I would like? AND, how do I get more than one picture transferred from Picassa to my blog?

Here is a fun video of Jason doing his dance.

Jason

Cooking lesson - Leavening Agents
To leaven means to make light and porous (full of pores or tiny cells). A leavening agent causes cakes and breads to rise. Leavening agents include:
1. Air enclosed in beaten egg white as in sponge cake.
2. Steam, as in pop-overs.
3. Baking powder.
4. Soda and sour milk (or acid ingredient such as cream of tartar)
5. Yeast

More about how leavening agents work next post.

Last but not least, GRATITUDE. Gratitude is a leavening agent in our lives. It smooths out the rough days and allows us to feel peace amidst trouble. I am grateful for each of you. I love being your grandmother and your Mom!
Lots of love,
Grandma Davis and Mom
Questions? Suggestions? Comments? I would love to read or hear them!

Serve hot! I like to split open (separate top and bottom) and spread with jam, but it is also very good accompaniment to chicken dinner.

Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in pre-heated, hot oven 450 degrees for 11 minutes. (If using convection air, reduce time to 7 1/2 minutes.)