I'm usually not one to run out and buy gadgets--I have a husband for that--but one day while meandering through Walmart I picked up a rice cooker.   I think I paid about $20 for it.  I'll tell you what, I LOVE it!  Previously I cooked rice only occasionally because I wasn't particularly good at it and we've scraped the top layer of "good" rice from a scorched batch more than once!

Well, no more.  My cheapo rice cooker has not failed me once AND I don't have to watch it at all.  I dump the rice in, take water directly from the facet to the fill line, plug it in and let it go.  If I mis-time meal prep and the rice finishes early--NO PROBLEM--the rice cooker keeps it warm.  Since purchasing this gadget we eat rice much more frequently and when I'm not sure what to cook, we have stir fry.  I start the rice and the go hunting for meat and veg!

Another great thing you can prepare in your rice cooker is oatmeal.  This is cool because you can dump the ingredients in the cooker, start it, and then go take a shower.  By the time you're back to the kitchen a nice, healthy, warm breakfast is waiting for you and it's a snap to clean up!

Here is the recipe:

2 Cups rolled oats (NOT quick cooking)

3 Cups water

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3-4 Tbs raisins

Just dump the ingredients into the rice cooker in any order, stir them up and then press cook!

You can add sugar or whatever sweetener to the mix before cooking, but I prefer to let the kids decide what they want to add.  Some things you can top your oatmeal with include: fruit, brown or white sugar, honey, nuts, sunflower seeds...whatever you want!

For more Tightwad Tuesday, please go to Mary's blog!