Tips on making my Porridge please!

[pinkspangle]

When i was younger i remember my Grandma used to make me porridge in a saucepan. I have tried this stuff you can buy now in packets that you put in the microwave but it just doesn't taste the same. Can anyone advise me on the best method of cooking this properly. Do i use cold milk or hot and how long does it take? Also is is possible to add yoghurt or will it curdle?? I have a huge pot of bio yoghurt to use and thought about adding it to my brekkie! Any help would be greatly welcomed!. Thanks

[KenR]

Use water to make it and a pinch of salt. Some say sugar, but this would make old time scottish grans spin in their graves... but then again my gran never eve took to what she saw as instant Scotts Poridge Oats LOL
What she probably did do was pour cold milk round the edge of it and this tended to be, in our house at least, what the top of the milk was used for. Can't do that these days with all this homogonized stuff :-( so you may have to use some cream instead :-)
Good bit on BBC about type of oats to use etc
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mostof_oats. shtml

[nickmo]

Buy a decent oat to start with, as with any recipe.

Soak overnight if you can or otherwise as a guide, use half milk and half water equal parts oats and liquid. Pinch of salt - as above - and cook through stirring to prevent sticking and burning. Serve with another pinch of salt - or sugar if you have to with a dod of milk to 'float' the porridge as again noted.

You can add extra thing is if you want to as well - apples pieces, raisins, whisky, almonds, raspberries, chocolate shavings . . . .

http://www.stoatsporridgebars.co.uk if you are near one of their outlets - the one with tablet in is brilliant - and you can order their oats online form the site if you want to get the best raw ingredients too..

Re. yoghurt - NO, not for the porridge! - best breakfast use? - stir in fresh fruit, raw oats, dried fruits etc and make up as a muesli base, or make a smoothie -with fruit and thin a little with milk.

Also use it in something like a simple mushroom stroganoff recipe, as a base to any of your fave curries, make a smoothie with raspberries, bananas and peach, or with a yoghurt cake incorporating some fresh (or frozen) fruit,or make a fruit fool, or a herb dip, or stir into a cold soup like cucumber or mint pea, or use to make cheesecake, or use in a compote, or use as frosting on a carrot cake or . . . there are quite a few uses...!

[spudqueen]

I can't stand porridge made with water - it tastes like gruel! I use Scotts porage (sic) oats. I measure it out into a cup or mug (depends on how many people I'm making it for!) then add two and a half times the amount of cold milk. Stick the oats and milk in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 5-10 minutes (you can taste it to see when it's done). Don't forget to stir! Bung it in a bowl, sprinkle a little sugar on top if you like and pour a little milk round the edge. Suppose you could add some bio yoghurt to the finished porridge. Not tried it myself but could be nice.

[Joefish999]

Well done spudqueen....... keep it simple for heavens sake. About one cup of oats for 2 people and just keep on adding more milk as it simmers to keep it at a consistency that suits you. And keep the salt well away from it, it's much nicer as a lovely warm creamy meal, if others want it to be thin and nasty and salty and to eat it wearing nothing but a stategically place scottish thistle then that's up to them!!