What day is it?

It's National Peanut Brittle Day, for one. Also Spouse's Day and Australia Day

First of all, I cannot in good conscience recommend celebrating Peanut Brittle Day. Not because of the calories, but more for the capacity to crack enamel and/or dislodge fillings in one's teeth. Besides that, I am pretty sure that if I did advocate eating peanut brittle, my dentist would quite possibly require community service in return. Maybe even flossing. Not gonna take that chance.

As for Spouse's Day, I have this to say...Ladies? Do we really need another day for the husbands to forget? As fulfilling as it is to see their guilt-ridden faces, I propose we extend a little mercy, and not require this extra holiday of them. At least, not until they get the other ones right.

I'm not sure why Australia Day is included in American holidays, but it can be an interesting read on Wikipedia, particularly when you follow several of the links. Worth noting that Aborigines refer to this as Invasion Day, or Survival Day.

ANYWAY, I keep finding out more and more about what I used to think was a dull month. January is also:

National Careers in Cosmetology Month,
National Eye Health Care Month,
National Fiber Focus Month,
National Hobby Month,
National Soup Month,
Hot Tea Month,
Oatmeal Month,
Prune Breakfast Month

If you're like me, then you're probably beginning to suspect a sinister conspiracy with the Fiber Focus, Oatmeal and Prune Breakfast thing goin' on here. But whenever I'm confronted with disturbing possibilities such as this I employ a little discernment technique I like to call, "Nix anything I don't like or don't understand."

In other words, I don't like prunes, so giving it a whole month is not gonna change my mind at all. And the term Fiber Focus smacks of business-speak to me. It's probably just a fancy name for "Let's jam tree bark down your throat and say it's good for your colon." Plus, I'm not at all sure that the Fiber Focus people aren't somehow teamed up with the Eye Health Care group, and suddenly the spectre of a vast optometrist/All Bran conspiracy looms large, and now I'm startin' to get scared....

OK, back to things I can understand, like soup, tea and oatmeal. It's been a while since I posted my recipe for what I eat EVERY morning for breakfast, so here goes:

Ma's Power Oatmeal

2/3 cup water
1 to 1 1/2 teasp. maple flavoring
salt to taste (I use almost 1/2 a teasp!)
1/2 apple, peeled and chopped
cinnamon to taste
some oatmeal (preferably old-fashioned type)
1 Tablespoon br. sugar
chopped walnuts

Combine first five ingredients in small (non-stick) pan and bring to boil. Add oatmeal to desired consistency--now this is hard to give specifics for, but I prefer something not too creamy or gooey. I go for the type of texture where it's thick, not cooked overly much and starts to stick to the bottom of the pan and maybe even get a little brown. Now you can see the wisdom in choosing a non-stick pan.

If there are those out there who wish have a sloppy goo I won't raise a ruckus. I realize that living in a pluralistic society, one has to make room for varied tastes in oatmeal consistency and texture. JUST DON'T TELL ME ABOUT IT, OK?

Now, after it is cooked to your desires (and please realize, that using the old-fashioned type will require a slightly longer cooking time) place in bowl of choice. I prefer something ceramic in nature. It's just more aesthetically pleasing. (hey, I spelled "aesthetically" right, the first time!) But if you prefer a lame plastic bowl, go for it. You're probably the kind of person that also drinks tea or coffee out of a Styrofoam cup. (ugh, I always misspell "styrofoam"...)

I use brown sugar as my sweetener of choice for oatmeal. Obviously you can choose white sugar, honey, or as my Sharon prefers, dark molasses (bleah). Again, I make no judgments, for I am the most tolerable of Ma's.

Now it is time for the crowning condiment, the walnuts. VERY IMPORTANT! Healthful, and adds extra fiber and wonderful crunchy goodness. Other nut-types are excellent, such as sliced almonds or shopped pecans. They're just more expensive, is all.

When I first witnessed this being made on TV, the chef finished off the concoction by whipping out a propane torch (I kid you not) and putting a nice glazey shell to the sugar topping.

Personally, I think this is WAY over the top. Particularly with small children in the house, of which I am thinking of one or two quite specifically.

That lady chef was just showing off, which goes against the grain, not too mention one of my most heartfelt precepts: Humility FIRST.

And there you have it.

Eat oatmeal. Be healthy. Be powerful.

Tune in tomorrow for one of the most appropriate holidays of the year, National Chocolate Cake Day :-D
 

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