Oatmeal Pancakes, the epitome of cheap eats

I like oatmeal, not the instant flavored variety, but Old Fashioned Quaker Oats.  I also like Silver Palate Oatmeal, which can sometimes be found on sale or at Ocean State Job Lot here in the Boston/Providence area.  Ocean State Job Lot

Silver Palate Oatmeal takes even longer to cook than Quaker Oats.  Of course the Irish steel cut oats are totally delicious, but pricey, and this blog is about pinching pennies.


So imagine how pleased I was to find this recipe in the New York Times Wednesday food section.
Oatmeal Pancakes


I like it for several reasons:  1)  it's nutritious 2) I have all the ingredients 3) not high-cal 4) looks pretty tasty 5) can be served for dinner with some grilled ham and a fruit salad.    Oh, and did I mention EASY?  And Different? 
I'll let you know how edible the oatmeal pancakes are. 
I also have an Austrian recipe for noodles with bacon and cheese that looks pretty good.  At the end of the month when the money might be tight, you need cheap, filling food.  This is the time to go to those bought-on-sale frozen vegetables.  Or to pick up a 99 cent head of iceberg lettuce.
We keep dried fruit on hand:  cranberries, raisins (golden and dark) currants (sometimes) apricots (always) and sometimes dried cherries or whatever I found on sale.  With an apple, orange, banana or grapes and a handful of dried fruit, you have a delicious dessert.  These days, if not on sale, an apple or an orange costs over a dollar.  Bananas are still relatively cheap. 
Banana bread is a killer dessert/breakfast/snack dish. 
Find a recipe that calls for 3 bananas.  That's the whole secret.  Two won't do.  As you acquire overripe bananas, you can pop them into the freezer with skins on, and when you have the magic number, zowie, it's banana bread.  You can toss a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries in for extra taste and nutrition.  Or raisins.  A tad of grated orange rind.  Yummy!  Good for kid's school lunches. 
I'll report back on the pancakes.  With photos if I remember.   And dig up my banana bread recipe.   So easy, so delicious.  And in keeping with our commitment to frugality.
In the meantime, long live oatmeal. 


The Cheeseparer

Hearty Breakfast

Woke up to gloomy weather and rain on a bleak Saturday. First thought was "ugggh!" and the next thought was oatmeal!

Oatmeal is cheap and filling and nourishing. It even tastes good. We make sure it tastes good by sticking a few plump golden raisins into the pot right before it's done. 2% milk with a dollop of cream and a spoonful of demarara sugar (or brown) puts the icing on the cake, so to speak. Of course you will want a helping of juice or fruit to balance the meal.

At our house we don't "do" instant oatmeal. We buy the stuff that has to cook for five (5!) whole minutes, which gives you time to set out the bowls, tiding up the kitchen, pour the juice and get your head centered. It tastes better, too. For a real (non cheeseparing) treat, sometime buy the steel cut oats when they are on sale. I also like Silver Palate oats, but don't have anymore coupons. Occasionally the house brand oatmeal can be purchased for a dollar.

Oatmeal also makes good filler for meatloat, and good bread, and you canmake make oatflour out of it in the Cuisinart and use it in cookies. Good source of fiber, too. So what are you waiting for?

It's tasty anytime, so don't procrastinate until you get a gloomy Saturday.

The Cheeseparer.