Ingredients for about 3 people

• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups water
• ⅓ teaspoon salt
• Embellishments
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or beans
• 1 glug maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, grated
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
• honey
• butter
• raisins or currants

Preparation

1. Toast the oats in a skillet until they smell toasty. If you are feeling saucy, toast them in butter until the entire house smells like butterscotch 2 minutes later.
2. While the oats are toasting, bring the milk and water to a near boil and add the oats. Watch out because adding the oats will cause the liquid to foam up and threaten to spill over if you are not careful. Just add the oats slowly and stir.
3. Turn the heat down so the oats are simmering happily and add any embellishments.
4. Simmer the oats for 20-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add salt. From now on, switch to stirring with the spoon handle so that you do not over develop the glutens in the oats.
6. Simmer for 15 more minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the consistency resembles the kind of oatmeal you like to eat.
7. Serve in bowls with a ladle, topping with any additional embellishments you feel like.