Cream Of Wheat

When I was a kid, we didn't eat Cream Of Wheat around my house.  I had it a few times at friends' houses, and to be completely honest, I thought it was completely disgusting.

Then I went to college.  I was student teaching in a Pre-K program, and was asked to sit at one of the meal tables for breakfast with about six 4-5 year olds.  When you sit at the table with them, you eat with them, modeling appropriate table manners, conversation, and how to try new things.  That day, I had to eat "Hot Cereal" or Cream Of Wheat, and I knew already that I didn't like it, but my job was to model that we can taste something each time it's put in front of us, and after tasting, if we don't like it we don't have to eat it.  So, I had to try it.  Bummer.

To my surprise, it was the most delicious breakfast cereal I'd ever had.  So, while going about my clean-up duties, and returning the dishes to the kitchen to be washed after breakfast, I had the opportunity to ask the school's cook what she put in the Cream Of Wheat to make it so delicious.

While she wouldn't give me the actual recipe she used, she did say that she put vanilla and almond extract in the cereal to give it more flavor.  So, I went home and started experimenting.  After much trial and error, I've been making this recipe for about 5 years now.  I just had some for breakfast  this morning, and after some curiosity about what exactly wheat farina is, I found that my ingredients in cooking Cream Of Wheat may not be known to the entire world, so I wanted to share them with you.

*This recipe is for 1 serving

Start by following the recipe on the box, but instead of using water, use milk, and don't add the salt.  While the milk is heating, add about 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and about 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. (I just "eyeball" it) Also add about a palmful of brown sugar.  Whisk all this "stuff" together, then follow the directions on the side of the box to complete the recipe.

Not too difficult, right?  It's actually really easy and it'll make your breakfast taste a million times better.  Also, I add fresh, canned, or frozen (thawed) fruit to the cereal after serving it up into each individual bowl, and my girls love it.  I hope you love it too.