Homemade Instant Oatmeal

my kids love instant oatmeal

ok, i do too...

but have you ever looked at the ingredients? can you pronounce all those? even a healthy food like oatmeal, especially the instant with flavors will be full of preservatives and additives. some of those additives might have a good purpose, like vitamins. but it seems to me that it would be wiser to get our vitamins either in foods that they naturally occur in or in a straight up vitamin form. a lot of people are preferring to avoid sugar nowadays and replacing with artificial sweeteners. just my opinion, if sugar is bad for you, don't eat sugar! don't replace it with something that has been created in a lab, for pete's sake! every sweetener that has been developed has shown to have side affects like cancer, except splenda. but i won't buy splenda either. it is made from sugar, yes, but do you know what else? chlorine bleach - ick! so instead, i am choosing to limit my white sugar consumption to a minimum or use something natural instead, like honey.

that being said... this recipe does call for sugar. i have not tried the turbinado sugar yet, but intend to with my next batch. i would use honey, but since it is a dry mix, it would be difficult to incorporate.

so, i just love this cook book for that very reason!

Make-A-Mix

it is full of ideas for pre-made mixes, but non will include unusual preservatives or additives. pancake mix, hot roll mix, taco seasoning, spaghetti seasoning and many more. there is even a second edition that has a great teryaki refrigerator mix. the book was originally published in 1978. it appears that amazon now has listed an updated version.

Oatmeal Mix
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening
3 cups rolled oats.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder salt and white sugar. Stir in brown sugar. Mix well. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed. Stir in oats and mix well. Put in a large airtight container. Label. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks. Makes about 9 cups of OATMEAL MIX. (use to make Oatmeal muffins, Oat Pancakes, Oatmeal Cookies, Carmelita Oatmeal Bars, Fruit Bar Cookies, Peach Blossom Desert from Make-A-Mix)

i found their recipe to be too doughy and not oaty enough. so after some experimentation, this is what i have come up with:

sarah's instant oatmeal mix

10 cups quick oats
2 cups butter flavored crisco
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tbs salt

using a food processor or mixer, encorporate the sugars, baking powder, salt and crisco. place all of oats in a large mixing bowl. using a large, flat wooden spoon or hard edged spatula, combine and cut crisco mixture into oats until mixed thoroughly. add desired fruit flavorings**

**fruit flavoring suggestions
apple cinnamon:
3 cups of dried apples, chopped to bite size pieces.
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
optional - 1 cup dry milk for a creamier texture

bannana and cream:
3 cups of dried bannana chips, chopped in food processor to bite sized pieces
1 tsp orange peel (available in bottles with McCormick spices)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dry milk

tropical cranberry:
2 cups dried sweet cranberries
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 tsp orange peel
1 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dry milk

combine flavoring ingredients. add to oatmeal mix. store in airtight container and use within 10-12 weeks. makes about 3 gallons (think ziplock bags)

to serve, measure about 1 cup of mix and 1 cup of water, microwave for 1 minute, stir and enjoy.

these ended up being a great stocking stuffer for relatives at christmas, in pint canning jars.