Farina, my best breakfast

With few exceptions, my husband Jimmy doesn't really like the things I cook. One of these (exceptions) is my special farina breakfast. I just follow the directions on the box to make two servings. But I add some things:

A banana, sliced (half in the bottom of each bowl)

Then, I add about 1/3 cup each of the following ingredients to the pan just before serving:

C'raisons (that's a brand name for dried, sweetened cranberries)
Dried blueberries
Chopped walnuts, chopped pecans or chopped almonds (or any combination thereof)

After mixing in these ingredients, I divide the hot cereal equally into the two bowls with banana slices in the bottom, top with pats of butter and some brown sugar, then serve.

This is yummy; Jimmy scrapes his bowl clean. He adds a packet of artificial sweetener to his. I'm a fat lover and sometimes add a splash of half 'n' half to mine.

We have this healthy breakfast with some orange juice.

If you want old-fashioned (slower cooking) farina you'll have to buy it at a health food store (not Whole Foods!) because you can't find it in regular grocery stores. They only sell the kind that's been treated with disodium phosphate to make it cook faster (2 1/2 minutes). I did talk to one grocery store manager and he said he could special order the regular kind, but I haven't done that, partly because I like the fast cooking. Lazy me!

I also make the same basic recipe with quick cooking oatmeal (rolled oats). I think the oatmeal is healthier but Jimmy likes the farina kind best.