GAL Oatmeal

GAL Oatmeal 1956 During the cold weather season, we could walk into the kitchen very early, and we would always find dad making up the huge ration of oatmeal. I would watch him put in the right amounts with a coffee cup for the oatmeal, water and milk; and the palm of his hand for the spices…. whatever they were. I never paid much attention to the amounts or the order in which he performed this magic. He’d dust his hands off over the revered “oatmeal pan” and assign someone to stir the oatmeal so it wouldn’t boil over or burn. 

Sometimes I had that job, but that was the extent of my experience with making oatmeal, until……………. One morning at the beginning of summer, when I was about 8, I wandered into the kitchen and noticed with amazement that there was no oatmeal made. I went in and stood reverently at the bedside of Mom and Dad.... on Dad's side. I waited, and then patted him gently his shoulder. He mumbled something quite unintelligible, and then opened his eyes and stared...like I was a stranger or something. "Where is the oatmeal?" I said, "Well, what time is it?"... Dad asked. "Well,' I said, "It's six o'clock, Dad, and you're late for making the oatmeal." 

 Dad thought for a moment, and said, "Well.............err.........uhm, why don't you make the oatmeal this morning?" "But Daaad". I said in my best 8-year-old whine "I don't know how you make the oatmeal." "Well, why don't you? You've seen me do it a million times.” He said. "But I don't know how much to put in the pan. 

Again, he spoke. "Listen carefully You put in: 3 Cups water 3 Cups of Milk Bring this to a boil and turn it down. Add: -3 Cups of OLD-FASHIONED OATS (“not that 3-minute crap!”) -a pinch of salt -a dash of nutmeg and (not too much nutmeg because it can constipate), a couple of dashes of cinnamon ….and raisins, if we had them, Simmer and stir until done." 

 Serve up in generous size bowls to however many people you have there (in our case at that time it was 7.5 kids and Mom and Dad). Garnish with a hunk o' butter, some sugar (brown is good) and a little bit of milk to cool it a little. You can add whatever else you want.......Raisins, Peaches, Dried Apricots, Apple slices, Nuts, Trail Mix, Sesame Seeds, Flax Seed is good to sprinkle on...Wheat Germ……….

And that's it.