Steel-Cut Oatmeal With Fruit

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (optional)
• 2 to 4 tablespoons dried fruit, such as raisins, chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries
• 1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup, agave syrup, honey or brown sugar (more to taste)
• Fresh fruit (such as diced apples and pears, optional)

1. Combine the water, milk and salt in a large, heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil.
2. Slowly add the oats, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the butter, dried fruit and sweetener.
5. Cover, and continue to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent the cereal from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the oats are soft and the mixture is creamy.
6. Serve, with added fruit stirred in if desired, or refrigerate and reheat as desired.
7. Or freeze as follows:
8. Line ice cube trays with plastic wrap.
9. Fill each cube with oatmeal, cover with plastic wrap and freeze.
10. Once frozen solid, remove the cubes from the ice tray and freeze in a plastic bag.
11. For each portion, thaw three or four cubes in a microwave on the defrost setting.
12. Add additional warm milk if desired.

water, lowfat milk, salt, oats, unsalted butter, dried fruit, maple syrup, fresh fruit

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012920 (may not work)