AUTUMN BREAKFAST PORRIDGE

For me, fall feels official after we've had our first fire in the fireplace. I love long summer days, but sitting around with friends, chatting by the warmth of a fire on a dark evening makes saying goodbye to summer okay by me.

Autumn mornings are another story. There's something painful about dragging ourselves from bed before the sun rises. We all need a little extra help to wake our sleepy bellies and eating something warm and cozy like this oatmeal does help to put all of us in a good mood for the day. (I must confess that I also need a few cups of really strong coffee to get myself going!)

What's your morning routine these days?

My Baba was big into a warm bowl of Cream of Wheat in the morning. Even though wheat is no longer part of my life, I still like a hearty bowl of warm grains. Baba always chopped up dates and tossed them into the bowl - this tradition I happily continue. The carmely dates add a nice chewy, sweet bite and I like to add a few other of my favorite goodies to the mix. Slices of ripe juicy pears, toasted hazelnuts, along with cream and maple syrup, transform a simple bowl of oats into a full meal packed with complex flavor, texture, nourishment, and comfort - a very good was to start the day.

Pears are ridiculously good this time of year and I'm eating them every which way I can. How about you?


INGREDIENTS {for 4 breakfasts}
printable recipe

• 2 cups Whole Grain Rolled Oats (GF folks: I always use Bob's Red Mill GF oats)
• 4 cups water
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 pear, thinly sliced
• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
• 4 Medjool Dates, pits removed and chopped
• heavy cream to taste
• pure maple syrup to taste

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium heavy bottomed sauce pan. When water is boiling, whisk in the oats and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat until you have a nice simmer. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until oats are tender and cooked, this can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes.

Divide the hot cooked oats into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with: 1/4 pear, sliced; 1/4 cup hazelnuts; 1 chopped Medjool date.

Pass the syrup and cream around the table and let everyone add a splash or two of each so that every porridge is just right.