Is regular oatmeal, the kind you make by following the instructions on the back of the box, just too plain? Does it just not give you that satisfaction that you need at breakfast to start your day off on the right note? Is it just too darn healthy? Well then, try my creamy oatmeal recipe!

Let's get started.

Here's what you need:

1 cup of oats , any brand will do
1 cup of water
1 cup of milk (whole milk! There's no room in this recipe for that pansy 2% stuff, or even worse, fat free!!)
salt
butter

Step 1: Measure Ingredients

I use a glass 16 oz measuring cup, and to avoid a mess, this order of business works for me.

a.) Measure a cup of oats
b.) Pour oats into a bowl
c.) Measure a cup of water
d.) Add to the water a cup of milk, bringing the mixture to the "2 cups" mark

e.) Cut a slice of butter about the size of the one in the photo. (this step can wait, if you want)

Step 2: Boil the Milk and Water

Pour the milk/water mixture into a saucepan and put it on high heat. Add some salt to it. How much salt? I just take the shaker and go *dash-dash-dash-dash* into the saucepan. It probably comes out to be a teaspoon or so. Stir it constantly or the milk will burn. Heat the milk and water until it's just about to boil. You'll know this when it just starts foaming around the edges.

Step 3: Add Oats

Just as the mixture starts boiling, pour the oats into it and immediately turn the heat down to about 1/4. Remember to keep stirring. As the oats get "settled in," you can stir less often. Turn the heat down as necessary to keep it just barely simmering. You don't want it to be like an active volcano splashing hot milk magma all over the kitchen.

Step 4: Finish Cooking

After about 5 minutes of cooking and stirring it, the mixture should be about the consistency of that in the photo. It should still look a little too milky to be ready, but almost there. At this point, turn the heat off the heat. Cut a slice of butter, if you haven't already, and add it to the saucepan. Cover it and wait about 5 minutes.

Step 5: Serve

After 5 minutes, the butter should be melted. Stir the oatmeal to get the butter mixed in. For the sake of making less dirty dishes, pour the ready oatmeal into the bowl the dry oats came from, or just eat straight out of the saucepan. Enjoy!!

-R