If you feel like indulging, make this with whole milk.

There is something about winter that sends me into a nesting frenzy, heading off to the bulk food section of the organic market to stock my shelves and fridge with twist-tied bags of grains and beans and grainy flours. There’s a cereal that I love this time of year, which, unfortunately, takes a good, long while to simmer over a low heat and involves a lot of stirring. It’s not a good cereal for a school day. When you eat it, though—served hot with a splash of cream—you are rewarded with a rich bowl of hearty, flavorful, complex goodness. Unlike a bowl of cold cereal, when you eat this you feel like you’ve actually eaten something. I love this cereal.

Winter Cereal Mix

• 2 c. bulghur
• 1 c. rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1/2 c. toasted wheat germ
• 1/2 cup raw wheat germ
• 1/2 c. soy grits
• 1/2 c. wheat bran
• 1 c. polenta
• milk, raisins, and cream (optional) for cooking and serving

Mix together all of the dry ingredients, and store in a tightly sealed container for up to three months in the pantry. To store for longer periods, keep in the refrigerator so that the grains do not become rancid.

To cook

• 1 c. dry mix
• 2 c. water
• 2 c. 2% milk
• 1/2 c. raisins (optional)
• 1 Tbs. cream

Put the mix, water and raisins in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer, stirring often for 20-25 minutes, gradually adding the milk as the cereal cooks and thickens. Serve with a splash of cream.