Glad to see that you are back and that the plumbing seems to be ok. I remember back in the old days when people used to keep rusty nails and plant them in the soil right next to the roots of the plants. Some people boiled the nails and poured the water on the edible plants to help cure people's "iron shortage". I don't know if it helped or hurt. I hope the docs can find out what's going on with your iron shortage.

The method I used in the original post about oatmeal - the recipe for "Overnight Oatmeal" - isn't cooked in a pan at ALL, and that's one of the chief reasons I like this method. You can enjoy the oatmeal cold (which actually wasn't bad at all, just a bit on the chewy side), warmed, or cooked by-the-bowl in the microwave to the texture desired (I like 1-minute on high, stir, cook an additional 30-seconds), so it should make everyone happy, especially the person who usually has to clean the pan ;-). I also love the coarsely-chopped almonds in this recipe (for the added protein), but they could easily be left out. As already mentioned, overnight soaking speeds up cooking, just as chopping (steel-cut oats) and flaking whole oat groats speeds up cooking. With commercial oatmeal, the oat groat has been steamed (tempered), then flattened, which also shortens the cooking time. Quick oats have been processed the same, except the grain has been cut into 2-3 parts to help it cook even quicker. You can cook whole oat groats and make oatmeal, it just takes nearly forever.... Years ago (before the advent of Quick Oats and Instant Oatmeal), overnight soaking was included in the recipe on the oatmeal box. Ye old traditional methods for making oatmeal included the overnight soaking method. In Scotland it was the custom to soak the whole oat groats overnight and prepare it in large batches. Then they would pour the cooked cereal into a drawer in the kitchen hutch or dresser. Squares of congealed oatmeal could then be cut out as needed and reheated by adding a little water - the original "instant" oatmeal. This process allowed the oatmeal to ferment a second time (the overnight soak was the first time it was allowed to ferment). I make a traditional Scottish scone called "Oat Farls" and the old-fashioned oats are soaked in buttermilk overnight before making the scones. Once again, incorporating an overnight soak and lacto-fermentation. Oats also contain higher levels of phytates than almost any other grain. The phytates are contained in the bran and can have a "cheleating or detoxifying effect". This is why during the oat bran fad, people who frequently consumed large amounts of oat bran without the benefits of soaking had mineral losses, allergies develop and often had problems with their intestinal tract. By soaking oat products, especially if you add an acid ingredient (lemon juice or vinegar) or do a lacto-fermentation by adding a small amount of whey/yogurt/kefir/buttermilk to the mixture, the enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms break down and neutralize phytic acid. The end result from this additional step is the oats cook quicker, are easier to digest, and have more available nutrition. -Grainlady

thanks cat ! sue no hijack at all ! All info and stories about experiences are welcome . I am glad your DS has found something. Our other DS was let go almost the same time as DD...sigh...he had just started with a new company also and it was going so well...then boom...an MD made a mistake and overlooked something DS flagged...DS was fired and MD was reprimanded...sigh again louder. Since I worked in the medical field for many years this is not an unfamiliar scenario. Ah well..he is handling it very well and it will all work out. I will send good wishes to your DS ! Lana..she sure was ! kswl...you are SO right .c

I thought of your dinner on Friday night and wondered how everything went, and which dessert you chose. Never dreamed you'd offer a smorgasbord of desserts. Glad your event was a success, and I'm glad your guests liked the sour cream lemon glazed cake. I especially appreciated how easy it was to make, and that it should be made in advance, taking the stress away from entertaining the "day of". Congratulations!