Amish Market Oatmeal OAMC

Amish Market, a specialty grocery store, is a New York City institution. It is an urban foodie haven with an eclectic variety of hard to find ingredients as well as a dizzying array of prepared foods made from the freshest ingredients. A mainstay of their breakfast offering is their creamy and delicious oatmeal which sits in large pots over a water bath and enjoys a cult-like following. Cooked long and slow, their oatmeal is a steaming, hot cup of comfort warming your soul on cold and snowy mornings in the city. I came up with this version after a serious weekend craving for Amish Market oatmeal. The secret is the whole cinnamon stick that infuses the whole pot while it is cooking. My daughter, an oatmeal purist and aficionado as well, happily approved of this, and began requesting it during the week for breakfast. None of us likes instant oatmeal, so I tried freezing it and it reheated nicely. Now we can have slow cooked oatmeal on busy mornings when standing over a stove isn't feasible. It can be made with water, soy milk, or skim milk, but adjust the volume of skim milk to your taste as the texture becomes somewhat runny. My family prefers it with low fat milk, but this can be made with water, skim milk, or soy milk, but adjust the volume of liquid to suit your preference for texture. Our favorite topping is dark brown sugar, cinnamon, but it is delicious with dried cranberries or cherries and walnuts as well. I don't usually measure, so the quantities are approximate.

• Ready In: 22 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups rolled oats, old fashioned (NOT quick cooking)
• 1 1⁄2-2  cups milk (adjust volume to your preference) or 1 1⁄2-2  cups water (adjust volume to your preference)
• 1  cinnamon stick, about 3-inch piece
• 1  teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
2. Stir to combine, cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Watch the texture and add additional liquid as needed to suit your preference as this will thicken as it cooks.
3. Turn heat down to low and allow to simmer, stirring often, approximately 20 minutes.
4. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
5. OAMC: Allow mixture to cool in the saucepan. It will thicken. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray, preferably unflavored. If you are using silicone molds or a silicone muffin pan, spray them lightly too. Ladle single portions, I use a 1/4-cup because my daughter and I are not big eaters. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. When frozen, remove from muffin tin or molds, and store in a resealable freezer bag.
6. To reheat: Microwave on high for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes (or in a small saucepan on low heat) with a tablespoon or two of additional liquid. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.