It occured to me, tonight, in a rare moment of insight: YOU CAN USE YOUR RICE COOKER TO COOK STEEL-CUT OATS (just don't put on the cover and follow the directions printed for water-to-oat ratio). Old-fashioned, steel cut oats, which must be gaining in popularity after a recent glowing account of them in the
New York Times. They're tastier (nuttier) than instant oats, since they haven't been smushed (rolled) and blanched (made instant), with much much much better texture, and they're better for you. But they're sort of a pain to make in comparison to instant oats (30 minutes simmering on a stove top...), unless you use your rice cooker. You heard it here first. (The picture isn't very appetizing, but trust me, they're great). As noted in the times, you can cook a large batch and reheat portions in the microwave throughout the week for convenience