The Gilgamesh {Bob's Red Mill Giveaway}

I recently saw a blog post from Bob's Red Mill that was life-changing.  I haven't always been a huge fan of oatmeal, I'm more a cream of wheat kind of girl.  This year, however, I started making steel cut oats and have seen the light.  Oatmeal is a great, filling breakfast, and it is especially perfect coming in to the fall and winter months, when you need something to warm you up in the morning before you face your day.  

A couple of days ago, Bob's Red Mill posted an article (is that what you call a blog post?  An article?  I'm not totally "hip" on the lingo.) about all the ways you can top oats, titled 20 Stellar Ways to Top Your Oatmeal.  They charged people to "Forget what you know about oatmeal and think about oats as a canvas for all types of flavors."  There are pictures and ingredients for delicious-looking toppings; anything from "The Old School" which tops oats with what I consider to be the classic brown sugar, pat of butter and sprinkle of salt; to "Carrot Cake" featuring shredded carrots, walnuts, raisins, brown sugar and a scoop of cream cheese frosting; to "The Texan" with crumbled chorizo, black beans, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, a drizzle of BBQ sauce, topped off with a fried egg.

I decided to make "The Gilgamesh" this morning, mostly because it was quick and easy and used things I already had on hand.  I was out of steel cut oats that I really like, so I had to make quick-cooking rolled oats instead.  I also didn't feel like dirtying extra dishes, so made it in the microwave (gasp!).  In a stroke of brilliance, I looked at the bowl at the precise second necessary before the whole thing boiled over in my microwave.  For anyone keeping track, it takes exactly one minute, fifty-three seconds to cook 1/2 cup of quick-cooking oats in 1 cup of warm water in a 19 oz. medium Fiestaware bowl.  Once I pulled the oatmeal from the microwave, I topped it with chopped dates, roasted and salted pistachios, a drizzle of honey, a splash of milk, and a few dashes of cinnamon.  The initial idea was to use cardamom instead, but I have about a thousand spices is my cabinet and didn't feel like taking them all out to find the cardamom when my little jar of Penzey's cinnamon was staring me in the face.

Now, for the {GIVEAWAY} - there is a top secret giveaway going on over at Bob's Red Mill.  As of the time I write this post, there are only 248 entries, and there will be five winners!  Not bad in the "odds" department, if you ask me.  All you have to do is go to the Bob's Red Mill Blog, check out the awesome ideas they have for oatmeal toppings, and then follow the prompts to enter.  They will then select five winners at random from all who enter by 11:59 pm on 10/14/13.  What will you win, why a selection of Bob's Red Mill products of course (Oat Bran, Extra Thick Rolled Oats, Scottish Oats, Quick Cooking Rolled Oats & Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats)!

In the meantime, tell me:  How do you top your oats?  What is the first Bob's Red Mill idea you're willing to try?

The Gilgamesh
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 serving oatmeal, prepared without salt
4 pitted dates, chopped
3 Tblsp. pistachios, shelled, salted and roasted
1 Tblsp. honey
2 Tblsp. whole milk or cream
1/4 tsp. cinnamon or cardamom

Method:
Top warm oatmeal with dates and pistachios.  Drizzle with honey.  Pour milk or cream over the top.  Sprinkle with cinnamon or cardamom.

Dig in and enjoy!