Risotto Oatmeal

I make breakfast for my kids pretty much every morning.  I don't believe cereal is a healthy meal choice, and with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays where the kids get cereal before I get up and make breakfast, the kids get something warm and filling in their little tummies before school.  So, that means I am always on the lookout for really easy, quick breakfast ideas.  This is one of our favorites.  It takes a bit more planning on my part because it does need up to 30 minutes to cook in the rice cooker, but it is always a crowd pleaser at my house.  It reminds me a bit of a rice pudding.

I originally found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  My dear sister introduced it to me, I'm pretty sure it's the first thing I ever made from the food blog.  My family LOVES this meal.  My kids get so excited when I tell them that we get "special oatmeal" for breakfast.

I have modified the recipe from the original just a little bit because I am always looking for ways to make food a bit more healthy for us.

Risotto Oatmeal:

1 cup Risotto Rice (Arborio rice)
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 cups water

Add everything to your rice cooker, mix it up and turn it on.  That's it.  Seriously.  This is when I run and shower, or dress the kids for the day.

When it's finished you'll want to stir it really well and serve.  It comes out HOT, so make sure you let it cool down before you feed the baby.

A few things about this recipe that I have learned as I've been making it for 3+ years.

(1)  Rinse the rice really, really well.  If you don't rinse rice it will bubble over and get all over the rice cooker, the counter and sometimes the floors (this is true with all rice).  Trust me, cleaning up sweet sticky rice is NOT fun.  I still put paper towels under the rice cooker just in case.  Or, if you can reach the sink with your cord you can put the rice cooker in the sink like my sister does.  Mine won't reach.

(2)  Usually I'm a huge advocate for organic everything.  Not in the case of rice.  I had to throw out 4 bags in a row of organic Arborio rice because I would find bugs in them.  Yuck.  It really grossed me out.  I think we took a year off of cooking this because I couldn't stomach the thought of throwing more out.  Or you know, eat it.  Also, I have found Fresh & Easy has Arborio rice pretty inexpensive.

(3)  I like honey instead of sugar, but you are welcome to use sugar instead.

(4)  If you don't have cream on hand milk works really well.  I can't tell much of a difference, it's just not as thick.

The original posting said to put raspberries in after it's finished cooking.  I like mine plain, but I always have raspberries for my sister when she comes to visit.  My kids like to top theirs with the colored sugar.  I let them do one or two shakes, just for fun.

Enjoy!