grainlady, I didn't know about phytates in oatmeal; knew they were in wheat. If soaking gets them out, don't you need to drain off that water full of phytates and replace it with fresh? For my whole childhood I was "made" to eat oatmeal and hated it. The glutinous quality always got me. My mom would put a big chunk of butter on there (double yuk), maybe some cinnamon, even jam she tried. Hated them all. When I found I liked Cream of Wheat (a little) I was allowed to switch to that; could only get that down with chocolate chips tossed on and allowed to melt. As an adult my brother switched to steel-cut oats but I don't care for those either. Then making oatmeal once for my Dad at my house I found out what the problem was: overcooking. Now I actually like it. I use regular oats and cook it in the microwave for 2 minutes a bowl, just so it's soft enough but hasn't started releasing the gluey stuff. Now I cook it with dried cranberries in it and add 2 T of ground flax seed. The flax seed adds a LOT to the flavor: to me it tastes sort of like ground almonds. Then top off with a scant half teaspoon of maple syrup: a little goes a long way; it has so much flavor that you barely notice that amount of sweetness.

This is a recipe for the easiest most scrumptious pie you will ever make. Banana Caramel Pie 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 tub of Cool Whip 2 bananas (this can be optional if you don't care for bananas) 1 graham cracker shell Cover unopened can of condensed milk with water in a large pot. Boil continuously for 3 hrs always completely covered with water. Remove and let cool. Line crust with bananas, cover bananas with caramel (cooked sweetened condensed milk), then cover with Cool Whip and refrigerate. I have also made this pie using a regular pie crust, baked then cooled, add ingredients cover with whipped egg white meringue and bake until meringue is browned. I prefer this way as it is less rich but doesn't travel as well.

Glenda and Sue, wish I'd thought of chili this morning. Chili on a chilly day is so good. Glad you found a good restaurant chili, Glenda. It's usually either too bland or too hot for me. Sue, I should make noodles and freeze them. I usually make them, cut them and let them to completely dry and then keep them in a Mason jar in the pantry. They last pretty well that way, too. I had to laugh, Georgysmom because Harry is the very same way. Now I just tell him not to eat xxxx because it's for yyyy. We're having potato salad Sunday. Shirley, all that gravy talk yesterday at Lindalou's post, made us all wanting gravy, I think. You make me feel guilty even mentioning 32 degrees when a lot of you are so very much colder. I had our heat set on 68 last night and I heard the heat come on a lot! I wish we'd get a good rain here. Azzalea, I never thought of putting a burger on English muffins, but it sure sounds good. I love my crockpot for the very reason you said. Just toss everything in and let it go. Tonight I'm making oatmeal in mine so Harry can have it for breakfast. It's so simple, just 2 sliced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and oatmeal. Cook overnight and voila--breakfast! Crockpot corned beef is the only way I make it. Turns out perfect every time. There are lots of recipes out there that don't call for processed foods and the ones I've tried have all been very good.

nannygoat18- --The first two recipes (which are the same recipe using different amounts) are refrigerated because that's what the original recipe calls for. I make the recipe at room temperature (overnight), but will refrigerate it after the overnight soak if I'm using the larger amount for several meals. The live active cultures in the dairy will be performing lacto-fermentation, much like making yogurt or kefir. It isn't spoiling, it's fermenting using "good" bacteria - whether refrigerated or room temperature. If you feel more comfortable refrigerating it, then use that method. --The buckwheat cereal is dry from the box - I use Hodgson Mill brand. You can add crushed raw buckwheat (it will crush under the pressure of a rolling pin), buckwheat flour, and sometimes I'll use sprouted and dried buckwheat - crushed (all buckwheat ingredients I commonly use and store in my pantry). I use buckwheat because it's gluten-free like the oats (I'm gluten-sensitive). **The reason for the buckwheat added to oats is: "...oats are so low in phytase (the enzyme that helps to break down phytates), that soaking them in warm water mixed with an acid medium [the fermented dairy products which contain live enzymes] is not enough to adequately break down the large amount of anti-nutrients that naturally occur." Therefore, adding a small amount of buckwheat aids in this process. If you aren't concerned with phytates, then leave the buckwheat out. For more information and where I got the quote above: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/how-to-soak-grains-for-optimal-nutrition/ I follow the methods **For anyone who has problems digesting large amounts of grains (this often is a problem for newbie vegans/vegetarians who switch to grains/seeds/beans in their diets) -- using fermenting, soaking, or sprouting method may make it easier to digest because it neutralizes the hard-to-digest phytates. The phytates are contained in the bran of the oat (and other grains). Back when oat bran diets were all the rage, frequent ingestion of unsoaked oat bran would lead to mineral loss because of the chelating (or detoxifying) effect. People were eating large amounts of oat bran with every meal (as a cooked cereal, in muffins/breads, toppings and add-ins), and eventually could encounter mineral losses, allergies and irritation of the intestinal tract due to too much oat bran/phytates. Interesting history - "In Scotland it was the custom to prepare oatmeal in large batches and 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. This process allowed the oatmeal to ferment a second time [the first fermentation was the overnight soak with a sour milk medium in the soaking water before it was cooked]." (Quote source: Nourishing Traditions - by Sally Fallon). -Grainlady