Rad Cakes

I work long hours and if you are like me you might often find yourself going hungry to save cash or running to the vending machine and spending money you don't have on chips and the like. I feel that feel, and have a reasonable and budget friendly option that might prove useful to you. It requires very little money, fills your belly and is easy to make. This snack packs easy in a pocket and can easily fill your belly without making you sick or what all like fast food can.

Gentlemen I introduce you to the humble Oak Cake.

I promise it tastes better than it looks.

It is a fairly simple recipe, as I am by no means a master baker (every time I've made homemade bread it's been mid at best) but I assure you it's kept me going on my twelve hour shifts even when I lack the funds for a simple 12oz soda.

To begin you'll need

-a canister of dried oats
-some flour
-water

That's it. A good ratio is 2:1 or 1:1 oats to flour. Mix in some clean water slowly and mash and mix your oats and flour until you get a nice and sticky, but solid consistency. If too sticky just add a little more flour or oats. It doesn't require an exact science or anything, just until it feels right to you.

It should look like a nice dough or cold oatmeal.

Now I prefer savory over sweet so I usually add salt, dried garlic and crushed red pepper, but for those of you who like sweet, honey is the way to go. Don't be shy about it, as the flavor even if strong helps keep you from scarfing the cake down in one sitting and makes it last longer. Just be sure you have access to plenty of water if you make it salty. Mix and kneed the seasonings as you add them to be sure they are evenly spread throughout the cake. I have tried all kinds of mixtures from honey and dried fruit to spicy dried pepper and shredded jerky from the gas station. Either way it usually works out pretty well. After you mix and kneed it, it helps to oil your hands with olive oil or some kind of vegetable oil, then roll it into a ball like you'd do for a hamburger.

The ball shape is nice to help make an even patty.

I usually do this in the skillet but it works fine on waxed paper or an oiled cutting board.

Once this is done, it's ready to cook. I personally cook them in a cast iron skillet greased with lard but any skillet with some form of oil, butter or fat will do. You want a low heat so as to cook it thoroughly and will likely need to flip the patty a few times to ensure an even level of cooking.

A nice even browning on both sides is what you are looking for.

Once both sides have a nice golden brown color the cooking is complete. Eaten hot they have a nice spongy texture that shouldn't be too hard on the teeth and go well with butter or preserves. If left out to cool they can be a bit tougher but break apart easily. I usually pack them in some wax paper and plastic wrap before heading off to work but a clean cotton bandana works in a pinch. If one plans to eat them within a day or so this is all that needs to be done. However if you intend to have them last a while I would avoid anything that adds any oils or fats to the cake as these can go rancid and would solely stick to things like salt or honey. If this is to be a long lasting ration made before hand you can make it the same way without any additions that might spoil, then instead of skillet cooking bake them at 275 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit until completely dry all the way through (usually takes an hour or two and might require a flip of the patties). This essentially creates a Hard Tack that will last indefinitely if kept in a cool dry place until eaten. If honey is used it will take on a rubbery, hockey puck texture instead of the brick like texture of hard tack, however the honey will help keep away bacteria and fungi as well as add to the flavor. If hard tack is made it might need some soaking to make edible for those with less than stellar teeth, or can be crushed into a flour like substance to make a biscuit if water and heat are available. Either way it can help keep the hunger pangs away and keep money in your wallet at the worst of times. Stay safe, stay full and keep your eyes searching