chocolate makes the heart explode. thank god there be a cure.

i have made... a MASTERPIECE. well, not really. just fudge. no big deal.

the treat in all it's splendor.
mine, however, looks better.
believe it to be true.

OR IS IT?! O.o

it started as any other kitchen adventure does: perusing the interwebs in search of a tasty treat. "to chow.com!" i hear from the couch. so we quickly tread over to aforesaid destination. behold: a treasure trove! "you're doing it wrong." "chow tips." "cooking with grandma." could this site get any better? and then... i see it. what i came looking for: peanut butter chocolate fudge. the perfect flavor combination that 1) will perfectly satisfy the soul to a state of nirvana, 2) the simple sounds in the name of this delightful nectar of the gods brings a symphony of trumpets to play in thine head, and 3) it's real damn easy to make. like, real easy. 10 minutes, tops. well, not including the trip to the store anyway.

which brings me to another point of my evening. as j and i sat stupefied by the awesomeness of chow.com (as usual), we sifted through the library of "you're doing it wrong" - a series of videos created for the sole purpose (and with the forceful intent) of making any flim-flam fuddy-duddy "cook" into a walking kitchen viking on their way to culinary Valhalla. seriously: watch just five of these and you will not be the same. the perfect grilled cheese? check. the perfect stir fry? check. cooking a frozen turkey to a state of flavorful awesomeness? check. also, brine your turkey. a ryuu top-tip - you'll never go back to deep fried bird again! but for another time... back to the rant. GO HERE. amazingness, without a doubt.

left: rolled oats
right: unrolled groats

the last video we watched sparked an interesting concept: oatmeal. no, not that nuked cement paper crap you put into your microwave, OATMEAL. the real deal, made with... you know, oats n' stuffs. it all starts with the oat groats, or cat grass as y'all might know it, the seed variety typically given to horses, cattle, and other live stocky-ish animals. for our consumption, they are pressed into the oatmeal you typically buy (the little flat oats? really just squished groats - did that just blow your mind, or what?) or else they are typically ground into oat flour for baking cookies and cakes and the like. for those like me (the gluten sensitive or "glutard" as it were) oats are not a huge threat as people claim. they do contain a small amount of avenin, a protien that can be toxic to some such as myself, but most with a simple intolerance will do fine. they are only marketed as glutenous mainly for the fact that they are milled in the same locales as wheat, barely, rye, etc. the more you know...

we have this one. it is awesome.

now, if you have a coffee or spice grinder you can grind them into a finer consistency, soak them in a small covered jar over night, and make them into oatmeal in the morning. add the entire bunch, groats and water alike, and bring to a simmer over medium. cook until it loses a little water and reaches your desired consistency. breakfast! BE SURE to add the proper fixin's: oat groats' nutrients are mostly fat soluble, meaning there needs to be a fatty substance to get the nutrients out of them. go plain with milk and honey and a dash of blueberries or go crazy with coconut milk, acai and a touch of mango. either way, you can't lose.

ima go eat some fudge now. be jealous.

the love child of oats and fudge.
i give you... the oatmeal peanut fudge bar.