CLICK TO SEE ABOUT OLD-FASHIONED STONE-GROUNDGRITS.

traditional grits If you live outside the southern part of the United States, the only grits you will find in the supermarket will be instant or quick cooking. Luckily, there are excellent mail-order sources for fresh ground grits, including the Old Mill of Guilford in Oak Ridge, North Carolina (910643-4783), and War Eagle Mill in Rogers, Arkansas (501-789-5343). Fresh ground grits are speckled from the bits of grain left over from the milling, so be sure to cover them first with water and let the husks rise to the top, then drain and proceed from the beginning of the recipe. If you want to use quick-cooking grits, just cook for one cycle in the rice cooker and they will still be very good.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ; MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic (preferred) or on/offCYCLE: Porridge or regularYIELD: Serves 41 cup coa.r.s.e stone-ground grits3 cups water teaspoon salt3 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.terGround white pepper 1. If you'd like to remove the husks, combine the grits and some cold tap water in a bowl or use the rice cooker bowl; the husks will rise to the top and can be skimmed off. Drain the grits.

2. Place the grits, water, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir for 15 seconds with a wooden spoon or wooden or plastic rice paddle. Close the cover and set for the Porridge or regular cycle. A few times during the cooking, open the cover and stir for 15 seconds, then close the cover.

3. At the end of the Porridge cycle, reset for a second Porridge cycle, giving the grits two full cycles to reach the optimum consistency.

4. At the end of the second Porridge cycle, or when the regular cycle completes, stir in the b.u.t.ter, season to taste with pepper, and serve hot. These grits will hold on Keep Warm for up to 2 hours.

creamy traditional grits: Replace 1 cup of the water with 1 cup whole milk and omit the white pepper. Good served with pure maple syrup and chopped crisp bacon. Replace 1 cup of the water with 1 cup whole milk and omit the white pepper. Good served with pure maple syrup and chopped crisp bacon.

traditional grits with cheddar: Add 1 cup coa.r.s.ely shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese 10 minutes before the end of cooking. Stir to distribute evenly. Add 1 cup coa.r.s.ely shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese 10 minutes before the end of cooking. Stir to distribute evenly.

traditional grits with hominy: Add one 16-ounce can whole hominy, drained, rinsed, and coa.r.s.ely chopped, 15 minutes into the second Porridge cycle or when the water comes to a boil in the regular cycle. Add one 16-ounce can whole hominy, drained, rinsed, and coa.r.s.ely chopped, 15 minutes into the second Porridge cycle or when the water comes to a boil in the regular cycle.

fried grits You can't get a more traditional southern breakfast than one with a slice of hot fried grits. This is a great way to use up any leftover grits, but if you are having a few hungry folks in the morning, fried grits, a rasher of bacon, an egg over easy, juice, and hot coffee are a welcome treat.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic (preferred) or on/offCYCLE: Porridge or regularYIELD: Serves 61 cups coa.r.s.e stone-ground grits4 cups water teaspoon salt cup unsalted b.u.t.ter, margarine, or bacon drippings, for fryingPure maple syrup, for serving 1. Combine the grits and some cold tap water in a bowl or use the rice cooker bowl; the husks will rise to the top. Drain through a mesh strainer.

2. Place the grits, water, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir for 15 seconds with a wooden spoon or wooden or plastic rice paddle. Close the cover and set for the Porridge or regular cycle. A few times during the cooking, open the cover and stir for 15 seconds, then close the cover.

3. When the machine switches to the Keep Warm cycle or the regular cycle ends, pour the grits into a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, filling it up to the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. The next morning, turn the loaf of grits out of the pan onto a cutting board. With a sharp chef's knife, cut into -inch-thick slices. Heat a cast-iron or other heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Place a k.n.o.b (about 1 tablespoons) of the b.u.t.ter in the pan to melt. Lay the grits slices in the pan and cook until brown, about 8 minutes on each side, turning once. Add more b.u.t.ter for each new batch, as needed. Remove from the pan with a metal spatula to a serving plate. Serve with the maple syrup.

creamy old-fashioned grits Adding a small amount of cream at the end of cooking makes these grits that little bit more special for a breakfast side dish with eggs or as a hot cereal.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic (preferred) or on/offCYCLE: Porridge or regularYIELD: Serves 41 cup coa.r.s.e stone-ground grits3 cups water teaspoon salt2 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter cup heavy cream 1. Combine the grits and some cold tap water in a bowl or use the rice cooker bowl; the husks will rise to the top. Drain through a mesh strainer.

2. Place the grits, water, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the b.u.t.ter in the rice cooker bowl; stir for 15 seconds with a wooden spoon or wooden or plastic rice paddle. Close the cover and set for the Porridge or regular cycle. A few times during the cooking, open the cover and stir for 15 seconds, then close the cover.

3. At the end of the Porridge cycle, reset for a second Porridge cycle, giving the grits two full cycles to reach the optimum consistency.

4. At the end of the second Porridge cycle, or when the regular cycle completes, open the cover and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter and the cream. Stir quickly, close the cover, and allow the grits to rest at least until the b.u.t.ter melts, about 10 minutes. These grits will hold on Keep Warm for up to 1 hour. Stir before serving.

pumpkin grits Grits have become a fashionable side dish outside the South, so finally there are creative recipes floating around. Here mashed pumpkin puree, fresh if you can manage it, is added and you have a nice accompaniment to roast pork, turkey, duck, or chicken.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic (preferred) or on/offCYCLE: Porridge or regularYIELD: Serves 4 cup coa.r.s.e stone-ground grits1 cups water1 cup whole milk1 teaspoon salt1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin or other winter squash, such as blue Hubbard or b.u.t.ternutFreshly ground black pepper cup ( stick) unsalted b.u.t.ter cup (4 ounces) grated cheddar cheese 1. Combine the grits and some cold tap water in a bowl or use the rice cooker bowl; the husks will rise to the top. Drain through a mesh strainer.

2. Place the grits, water, milk, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir for 15 seconds with a wooden spoon or wooden or plastic rice paddle. Add the pumpkin and a few grinds of pepper and stir again. Close the cover and set for the Porridge or regular cycle. A few times during the cooking, open the cover, stir for 15 seconds, then close the cover.

3. At the end of the Porridge cycle, reset for a second Porridge cycle and cook until the grits reach the optimum consistency, thick like breakfast porridge.

4. When the right consistency is achieved or the regular cycle ends, stir in the b.u.t.ter and cheese. Stir quickly, close the cover, and allow the grits to rest at least until the b.u.t.ter melts, about 5 minutes, and up to 1 hour, if desired.

shrimpand grits Beth's Aunt Joan lives in Florence, South Carolina, the heart of grits country. Shrimp and grits is real southern coastal Atlantic country food, but can now be found served at lots of southern parties and in restaurants. Here is an authentic recipe, just the way they like it in the Carolinas, which we made with Old-Fashioned Stone-Ground Speckle Yellow Grits from Blackwell Mills (decorated with a line drawing of a smiling pig in a neckerchief holding a corncob with the saying "Pig Out") that Aunt Joan sent Beth. The original recipe calls for the grits to be cooked for three hours, so run the grits through a third Porridge cycle, if you wish, for a softer consistency.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) or large(10-cup) rice cooker; fuzzy logic( p referred) or on/offCYCLE: Porridge or regularYIELD: Serves 62 cups coa.r.s.e stone-ground grits6 cups water1 teaspoon salt cup (1 stick) unsalted b.u.t.ter or margarine cup olive oil teaspoon Texas Pete hot sauce or Tabasco sauce1 bay leaf1 teaspoon pressed garlic3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon minced fresh Italian parsley leaves1 teaspoon minced fresh chives teaspoon dried tarragon teaspoon dried chervil teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce1 pound miniature shrimp (90/110 count), sh.e.l.led and deveined (you can buy these already sh.e.l.led; look for P&Ds)Chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, for garnishChopped fresh chives, for garnish 1. Combine the grits and some cold tap water in a bowl or use the rice cooker bowl; the husks will rise to the top. Drain through a mesh strainer.

2. Place the grits, water, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir for 15 seconds with a wooden spoon or wooden or plastic rice paddle. Close the cover and set for the Porridge or regular cycle. A few times during the cooking, open the cover and stir for 15 seconds, then close the cover.

3. At the end of the Porridge cycle, reset for a second Porridge cycle and cook until the grits reach the desired consistency, thick like breakfast porridge. When the right consistency is achieved or the regular cycle ends, hold on Keep Warm until the shrimp is ready.

4. Fifteen minutes before the grits are done, melt the b.u.t.ter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, hot sauce, bay leaf, garlic, lemon juice, minced parsley, minced chives, tarragon, chervil, pepper, and Worcestershire, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and add the shrimp. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp turn bright pink on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Spoon the hot grits into a large serving bowl. Immediately spoon the shrimp over the grits and drizzle with the sauce from the pan. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and chives and serve hot.

HOMINY.

The premier gift from Native Americans to the colonists, hominy is dried whole corn kernels that are cooked in a solution of ashes or slaked lime in water to loosen the hulls. Hominy became a staple food for generations in the Appalachian backwoods, bayous of the Louisiana delta, and rural Deep South, made with wood ashes. While Mexican-Americans remember the large pot of beans always cooking on the back of the stove all day, southerners have the same memory about a pot of hominy.

Today commercial hominy is made by boiling the corn in a solution of sodium hydroxide, which acts the same way as the organic alkali ash bath. The germ and hulls are washed off, leaving a plump, soft kernel the size of a chickpea that is chewy in texture and earthy in flavor, as well as easy to digest. Also known by its Spanish name, posole posole, in the Latin community or the Indian name of nixtamal nixtamal in the southwest United States, hominy is now chic peasant food. It is available dried, fresh or frozen ready-to-eat (both must be reconst.i.tuted), and canned. in the southwest United States, hominy is now chic peasant food. It is available dried, fresh or frozen ready-to-eat (both must be reconst.i.tuted), and canned.

fresh hominy Fresh or partially cooked frozen whole hominy needs to be cooked before using. Fresh is usually available in the meat department of supermarkets, especially around the holidays. Do not add any salt while cooking, or the kernels will never soften properly. You can use fresh hominy instead of canned in soups and stews. If you happen to use dried hominy, you will need to double the amount of water and double the cooking time. You can double this recipe in the large-capacity rice cooker.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) or large (10 cup) rice cooker; fuzzy logic or on/offCYCLE: Re gularYIELD: About 4 cups1 pound fresh or frozen hominy, thawed overnight in the refrigerator 1. Place the hominy in the rice cooker bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Close the cover and set for the regular cycle. Cook until it is tender and the kernels burst open, but are still slightly firm to the bite, 1 hour or more.

2. Remove the bowl from the rice cooker, drain off most of the liquid by pouring through a colander, and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days.

posole nuevo Posole, the spicy New Mexican stew that is based on hominy, is usually a long-simmered dish made with pork or beef. This version is quicker and lighter, yet just as hearty and comforting. Because canned hominy is already cooked, this posole can be ready to eat in less than an hour. The carrots and chayote are not traditional. Two chiles make a slightly spicy version; add more than four at your own risk. Serve in bowls with crusty bread or rolls.

MACHINE: Large (10-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic or on/offCYCLE: RegularYIELD: Serves 8Two 30-ounce cans white hominy or 4 to 5 cups Fresh Hominy Fresh Hominy2 to 4 large dried New Mexico chiles1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat, and cut into bite-size pieces3 cups chicken stock2 cups water1 medium-size onion, sliced3 cloves garlic, chopped1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled2 to 3 carrots, to your taste, sliced1 medium-size chayote squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-size pieces cup fresh lime juice1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste, if needed (depending on saltiness of stock) 1. Coat the rice cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place the hominy in a colander and rinse with cool water; allow to drain.

2. Meanwhile, rinse the chiles with cool water if they appear dusty. Pull off the stems and shake out most of the seeds.

3. Place the chiles, hominy, chicken pieces, stock, water, onion, garlic, and oregano in the rice cooker bowl. Close the cover, set for the regular cycle, and set a timer for 40 minutes.

4. When the liquid comes to a boil (open the cooker to check if yours doesn't have a gla.s.s lid), add the carrots and chayote. When the timer sounds, the chicken should be cooked through and the vegetables tender. Add the lime juice and salt. Remove the chile pods and discard, or slit open and sc.r.a.pe out the red pulp and return it to the pot, discarding the skins. This dish will hold on Keep Warm for up to 1 hour. Serve hot.

ABOUT OLD-FASHIONED STONE-GROUNDGRITSCrushed kernels of dried corn with the consistency of coa.r.s.e sand and a shiny luminescence rather like that of seash.e.l.ls is the best description of grits. They are made from either white or yellow corn, although they both taste quite similar despite the difference in color. Yellow grits look a lot like polenta but are coa.r.s.er, and polenta is cleaned of all flour and milling dust; you can't subst.i.tute one for the other. Instant grits is a degerminated cereal with its bran and germ sifted out. Out goes the character and taste as well.When you get a bag of old-fashioned grits, they might be labeled "speckled" on the bag. The black speckles in the yellow are the sign of stone-ground grits, residue from the black base of each kernel. White grits, traditional in the Carolinas, are often flecked with yellow. Some cooks (like us) aren't bothered by the earthy look of the flecks, while others skim the grits after covering them with water before cooking.Stone-ground grits can be mail-ordered from southern mills that have been grinding grits since before the Civil War (see Online and Mail-Order Resources), as well as some new mills that know a good thing when they taste it. You know the food world is getting wise when The New York Times The New York Times describes grits as "good alone, with other foods, G.o.dly." Southern cooks have never paid any attention to fashion; they have been in the know for generations. describes grits as "good alone, with other foods, G.o.dly." Southern cooks have never paid any attention to fashion; they have been in the know for generations.

hot breakfast cereals and PORRIDGES Hot Oatmeal and Rice Wheatena Hot Oatmeal with Grape-Nuts Hot Fruited Oatmeal Breakfast Barley Granola Oatmeal Old-Fashioned Steel-Cut Oatmeal Creamy Breakfast Oatmeal Hot Apple Granola Mixed Grain Porridge Hot Cornmeal Mush Sweet Breakfast Grits with Fresh Fruit Morning Rice Pudding Maple-Cinnamon Rice Pudding Apple Granola Four-Grain Flakes Your Own Old-Fashioned Granola Triple-Oat Granola with Dried Cranberries Plain Rice Porridge Rice and Sweet Potato Porridge Savory Rice Porridge with Shiitake and Preserved Egg Thanks giving Jook Breakfast cereals happen to be the way the majority of people eat whole grains. When grains are cooked in water or milk, they become a porridge, a food that has sustained humans since the first wild grains were gathered. Hot cooked grains are traditional fare the world over. Who could have predicted the long nutritious future of a group of Seventh-Day Adventists who in 1877 touted a vegetarian diet and opened a sanitarium based on the principles of evangelist and whole foods advocate Sylvester Graham? Developing a breakfast cereal of wheat, oats, and cornmeal baked into biscuits and then ground up, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg made the first roughage-rich granola, a name later adopted in the health foodconscious 1960s (mixed and served at the first Woodstock music festival) for a sweetened combination of roasted rolled grains, nuts, and seeds.

Kellogg later cooked grains of wheat and rolled them flat, making the first rolled cereals. Steam-injected puffing guns made whole grains porous and were introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The highly original Minnesota food eccentrics were off and running with the cereal boom. Americans fell in love with cereal and the demand has not diminished to this day. Unfortunately, the ever-growing line of commercial cereals are laced with preservatives and lots of refined sugar products tailored to the tastes of we're not sure whom.

Recipes for robust, luscious, or austere mixed grain cereals abound and, whether served hot or cold, offer a tasty way to feed your body in the morning. Making your own cereal blends or using leftover cooked grains such as rice is a perfect place to practice improvisation with a dash of kitchen creativity.

The Porridge cycle in the fuzzy logic machines does a beautiful job of cooking a wide variety of whole grains into breakfast porridges. Most of your own special slow-cooked breakfast cereals can be on the table after you finish dressing.

The secret to making excellent porridges is to use very fresh whole-grain cereals, such as rolled oats and bran. Be sure to get residue-free organically-grown whole grains every chance you get for the maximum health benefit. Commercial brands like Arrowhead Mills' Bear Mush is an excellent alternative to processed farina, and McCann's imported quick-cooking Irish oats are rolled from whole oats. Look for real old-fashioned rolled oats (as well as barley and wheat flakes) rather than the quick-cooking varieties. We also love old-fashioned hot cereals like Maltex and Wheatena. And although the long-cooking rough-cut steel cut oats-chopped groats known as Irish-cut or Scotch-cut-can be intimidating to cook properly on the stove, they are easy to cook into a creamy cereal with no fuss in the rice cooker. Cracked grain cereal combinations-usually a blend such as cracked wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, flaxseed, and corn-cook up as beautifully as oatmeal with the slow cooking of a rice cooker.

A key to how cereals will cook is to look at how they were processed. If processed minimally, as is the case for cracked grains, they will need more water (because they must absorb more to soften) and longer cooking times. Processed grains, such as rolled flakes, are first steamed, then pa.s.sed through rollers to flatten. Some require as little as half the amount of water as cracked grains to cook, and they become a smoother mush. Sometimes, though, they absorb a lot of liquid and you end up with a dry mixture, like rice; just add some more water and cook a bit longer. Make a note on the package for the next time. Toasted flakes, as in granola, absorb less water than the raw flakes. Thick-cut flakes will absorb more water than thinner ones. Whole grains, with their bran and germ intact, cook more slowly and take more water than grains that have been hulled and degermed, the difference, for example, between brown and white rice. Previously cooked grains require the least amount of extra liquid and will break down very quickly.

As with the cooking of all grains, we all have a way we like our cereal cooked: smooth and loose so it is a h.o.m.ogeneous mush, with milk, or a bit stiff, so that the milk is a moat and can be cut into with a spoon. Open the cover and check the consistency of the cereal; give a stir with your wooden or plastic rice paddle. If it looks too stiff, simply add another to cup of water or milk. If it looks too loose, either set for a second Porridge cycle to continue the cooking (it won't hurt the mush one bit) or hold the cereal on the Keep Warm cycle for up to two hours before serving. Hot cereals hold perfectly on the Keep Warm cycle.

How to serve your porridge is entirely a matter of personal preference. Dried or fresh fruit can be used as a topping or an ingredient to be cooked with the cereal. If refined sweeteners such as brown sugar are not in your diet, cereals can be made with pure maple syrup, date sugar, or honey. Create a moat of milk, half-and-half, rice milk, soy milk, or oat milk around your hot cereal. Whatever your choice, it's good morning to you!

hot oatmeal and rice We consider this porridge an oatmeal inspiration. It is Beth's liberal adaptation of a Marie Simmons recipe from her wonderful book Rice: The Amazing Grain Rice: The Amazing Grain (Henry Holt and Company, 1991). You can use any leftover white or brown rice, long- or short-grain. An excellent grain combination and a breakfast favorite. (Henry Holt and Company, 1991). You can use any leftover white or brown rice, long- or short-grain. An excellent grain combination and a breakfast favorite.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 21 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats (not quick-cooking)1 cup cooked white or brown rice2 tablespoons oat bran2 cups waterCold milk or soy milkPure maple syrup or honey3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ 1. Place the oats, rice, oat bran, and water in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, topped with milk, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, and wheat germ.

wheatena High-fiber Wheatena, a combination of wheat grits, wheat bran, and wheat germ, is a robust toasted wheat cereal that has been on the super market shelves for decades. Normal stove-top cooking is recommended at about five minutes, way too short, we think, to soften it properly; the coa.r.s.e grain really tastes best when it has been slow-cooked. We use more water to get a smooth, thick porridge. Simple and delicious, Wheatena just needs some cold milk poured over it.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 21 cup Wheatena2 cups waterPinch of fine sea salt 1. Place the Wheatena, water, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot.

hot oatmeal with grape-nuts We love Grape-Nuts, but, well, sometimes they are just too hard on the teeth to eat cold. So, inspired by food writer Barbara Grunes, we put them in with oatmeal and ended up with a nice oat and wheat breakfast cereal.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 3 to 41 cups steel-cut oats cup Grape-Nuts cereal cup Grape-Nuts cereal2 cups waterPinch of fine sea salt teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamomCold milk and brown sugar, for serving 1. Coat the rice cooker bowl with b.u.t.ter-flavored nonstick cooking spray. Place the oats, Grape-Nuts, water, salt, and spice in the rice bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, with a moat of milk and brown sugar.

hot fruited oatmeal As you can surmise, just like the Scots, we love oatmeal in its many guises. It is the most heartwarming and nutritious of grains. This is the perfect place to use old-fashioned rolled oats (the ones that take longer to cook and are chewier) or thick-cut rolled oats (there is a brand packaged by The Silver Palate), rather than the quick-cooking variety, as the rice cooker lets them cook nice and slow with some fresh fruit.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 42 cups rolled (old-fashioned) oats (not quick-cooking) or Four-Grain Flakes2 cups milk or b.u.t.termilk, plus more for serving, if desired2 cups water teaspoon fine sea salt teaspoon fine sea salt2 apples or pears, peeled, cored, and chopped, or 4 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped cup slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or sh.e.l.led sunflower seeds cup slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or sh.e.l.led sunflower seeds 1. Place the oats, milk, water, salt, and fruit in the rice cooker bowl. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, stir in the nuts. Let the oatmeal steam on Keep Warm for 5 minutes. This cereal will hold on Keep Warm for up to 1 hour. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, with more milk, if desired.

CLICK TO SEE OATMEAL AND ROLLED OATS.

breakfast barley Barley flakes seem like a cereal relegated to the aisles of the health food store, but in early history barley was as central to the human diet as rice. When wheat became the dominant grain, barley became more of a specialty grain. It has a sweet, nurturing flavor as a porridge; it makes a good alternative to oatmeal, especially nice for children. Please note that barley does not break down and dissolve into a traditional mush like oatmeal; the grains will be very soft, but stay distinct.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 21 cup barley flakes or Four-Grain Flakes Four-Grain Flakes2 cups water2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar1 teaspoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamonPinch of fine sea saltCold milk or soy milk, for serving 1. Place the barley, water, brown sugar, spice, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick; let it steam on Keep Warm for 10 minutes. This cereal will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, with milk.

granola oatmeal Granola, which is primarily lightly baked rolled oats, is excellent served as a hot cereal. Use your favorite brand of granola or one of our mixtures in the Custom Cereal Blends section. We favor one packaged by Cafe f.a.n.n.y in Berkeley-it is sumptuous-but one of the lowfat versions will also work.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 41 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats (not quick-cooking) cup granola, store-bought or homemade cup granola, store-bought or homemade1 tablespoon millet meal or farina2 cups water8 dried apple ringsPure maple syrup and cold milk, for serving 1. Place the oats, granola, millet meal, and water in the rice cooker bowl; stir to combine. Lay the apple rings on top of the cereal mixture. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick; let it steam on Keep Warm for 10 minutes. This cereal will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and place 2 apple rings on each. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve with milk.

old-fashioned steel-cut oatmeal Steel-cut oats are much chewier than regular rolled oats and the cooking time is considerably longer, but the rice cooker is perfect for cooking the hearty, old-fashioned grain, especially after an overnight soak. If you like your oatmeal creamy, subst.i.tute 1 cup of milk for 1 cup of the water.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 31 cups steel-cut oats3 cups cold waterPinch of sea saltPure maple syrup and cold milk, for serving 1. The night before serving, place the oats, water, and salt in a lidded bowl or the rice cooker bowl. Cover and set aside at room temperature until morning.

2. In the morning, pour the mixture with its liquid into the rice cooker bowl, if necessary; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours.

3. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, with a drizzle of maple syrup and the milk.

creamy breakfast oatmeal Oats have a reputation for contributing to health similar to a homeopathic cure. Oats and milk are said to ward off the worst of chills, as well as making a great poultice-like mask for the face. With maple syrup and sweet dried dates, plain old oatmeal is a morning feast that raises its status above that of a humble grain. Note that this recipe calls for steel-cut oats rather than rolled oats, making an exceptionally creamy porridge.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 2 cup steel-cut oats cup steel-cut oats1 cups milk mixed with 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or 1 cups vanilla soy milk1 teaspoons ground cinnamonPinch of fine sea salt2 tablespoons pure maple syrup cup chopped dates 1. Place the oats, vanilla milk, cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with the dates. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and will hold on Keep Warm for up to 1 hour. Spoon into bowls and serve hot.

hot apple granola This hearty grain and fruit blend cooks up into a flavorful and sustaining breakfast cereal.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 21 cup Apple Granola Apple Granola2 cups waterPinch of fine sea saltCold milk or soy milk, for serving 1. Place the granola, water, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, with a moat of milk.

mixed grain porridge This porridge, with almost more grains than you can count, is anything but dull. The farina and couscous give texture and an extra dimension of flavor.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 3 to 4 cup Apple Granola or store-bought cracked seven-grain cereal cup quick-cooking Irish oats (McCann's) cup farina (such as Cream of Wheat or Arrowhead Mills' Bear Mush) cup barley grits (Arrowhead Mills) or couscous2 tablespoons millet mealPinch of fine sea salt3 cups waterCold milk and brown sugar, for serving 1. Place the granola, grains, salt, and water in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, with the milk and a bit of brown sugar.

hot cornmeal mush Adapted from one of our favorite food writers, Deborah Madison, this is old-fashioned cornmeal mush laced with vanilla. Look for Cook's Cookie vanilla at the supermarket; it is a combination of Bourbon and Tahitian vanilla beans and has a distinctly floral quality you will find positively addicting. It sweetens the mush, so to speak.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 3 to 41 cups stone-ground fine- or medium-grind yellow cornmeal4 cups water1 tablespoon unsalted b.u.t.ter2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract teaspoon fine sea saltCold milk and brown sugar, for serving 1. Place the cornmeal, water, b.u.t.ter, vanilla, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, if the mush looks too thick, stir in more water in -cup increments and let steam on the Keep Warm cycle. Stir every 15 to 20 minutes to avoid lumping. This cereal will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, with the milk and brown sugar.

sweet breakfast grits with fresh fruit When you see the word grits grits, it is easy to a.s.sume it means cracked hominy grits made from cornmeal, but in reality grits grits can refer to any coa.r.s.ely cracked grain, including millet, corn, oats, or barley. Grits can be in a fine, medium, or coa.r.s.e grind; the finer the grind, the faster it cooks. Here old-fashioned grits ground from corn are cooked in milk and are perfect for the breakfast table. The stone-ground grits will have much more flavor than the quick-cooking variety, but we give both here due to availability. can refer to any coa.r.s.ely cracked grain, including millet, corn, oats, or barley. Grits can be in a fine, medium, or coa.r.s.e grind; the finer the grind, the faster it cooks. Here old-fashioned grits ground from corn are cooked in milk and are perfect for the breakfast table. The stone-ground grits will have much more flavor than the quick-cooking variety, but we give both here due to availability.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 3 cup stone-ground or quick-cooking yellow or white grits2 cups milk3 to 4 tablespoons honey teaspoon fine sea saltHulled and sliced fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or peeled, pitted, and sliced peaches, sprinkled with a teaspoon or two of sugar, for topping 1. Place the grits, milk, honey, and salt in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and creamy, and will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Spoon into bowls and serve hot, topped with the fruit.

morning rice pudding In a conversation with California rancho cooking expert Jacquie McMahan, the talk turned to arroz de crema arroz de crema, rice pudding, a favorite in Mexican cuisine. Jacquie remembered leftover rice being cooked in milk for breakfast. Her version did not have the egg, so you can leave it out, if you wish. This dish works perfectly in the rice cooker on the Porridge cycle.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 3 to 43 cups cooked white or brown rice3 cups milk1 large egg, beaten (optional)2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar cup chopped dried apricots or golden raisins teaspoon ground cinnamon3 or 4 small pats unsalted b.u.t.ter, for servingFreshly grated nutmeg, for sprinkling 1. Place the rice, milk, egg (if using), sugar, dried fruit, and cinnamon in the rice cooker bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

2. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and creamy. Serve immediately. Spoon into bowls and top with a small pat of b.u.t.ter and a few gratings of nutmeg.

maple cinnamon rice pudding This is a creamy breakfast rice pudding that is perfectly addictive. It can also be made with long-grain brown rice, but the white rice is the creamiest and most nurturing. Serve with pure maple syrup or sliced or chopped fresh or canned fruit, such as bananas, berries, or peaches.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker ;fuzzy logic onlyCYCLE: PorridgeYIELD: Serves 3 to 42 cups cooked white rice2 cups milk cup heavy cream or milk cup pure maple syrup cup dried tart cherries, dried cranberries, or raisins teaspoon ground cinnamonPinch of freshly grated nutmegPinch of fine sea salt 1. The night before serving, combine the rice, milk, cream, maple syrup, dried fruit, spices, and salt in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until morning.

2. In the morning, coat the rice cooker bowl with b.u.t.ter-flavored nonstick cooking spray. Pour the soaked rice mixture into the rice bowl; stir gently to combine. Close the cover and set for the Porridge cycle.

3. At the end of the cycle, the cereal will be thick and creamy; let it steam on Keep Warm for 10 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve immediately.

CUSTOM CEREAL BLENDS.

Given a jar of old-fashioned granola as a gift, we learned to appreciate the subtle art of impeccable ingredients streamlined to an individual palate. Homemade granola quickly became a pantry staple and a favorite ingredient in hot cereals along with oats, or just eaten cold with milk. You can store your mixtures in quart or half-gallon spring-top jars (they look nice on the counter) or plastic buckets with airtight lids for inside the cupboard. Beyond breakfast cereals, use your custom cereal blend as an ingredient in yeast breads, as a streusel topping for coffee cakes, in m.u.f.fins, or in a crumb pie crust.

apple granola This is a cracked grain blend we use to make a great hot morning cereal. All the grains are readily available at natural food stores.

YIELD: About 5 cups (ten 1-cup cooked servings)1 cup steel-cut oats1 cup cracked wheat1 cup cracked rye1 cup barley grits cup Cream of Buckwheat cereal1 cup minced dried apple cup dried tart cherries, dried cranberries, or dried currants2 teaspoons ground cinnamon In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients; mix well. Store in a covered container or plastic bag at room temperature.