CPP stands for “Container, Paper and Plastic”. See, I learned how to cook from the recipes on food containers or printed in ads. I still check out the containers for recipes. Food packagers (and, let’s face it, food manufacturers) pay people good money to come up with recipes that make those foods appealing, so why not try them?

Here’s one I tried over the holidays and really liked. It was on a can of store-brand cranberry sauce. It’s vegan, if you use vegan margarine, as I did, but not gluten-free, unless you have a gluten-free flour you can substitute. Maybe powder some oatmeal and substitute that?

CRANBERRY-CRUNCH

• 1 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine
• 1 can (14 ounces) jellied cranberry sauce
• ice cream [or whipped topping]

Preheat oven to 350F. In a bowl, mix together oats, flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly [the butter, I assume, not you]. Press half of the mixture into an 8″ square baking dish. Spread with cranberry sauce. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake 45 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream. [or whipped topping]

I really liked this. It’s not too sweet, which was refreshing after the sweet-laden holiday. I think it might be good heated in the microwave and eaten like cereal for breakfast, maybe with a little vanilla almond milk. Mmmmmmm!

WRITING PROMPT: What does your main character habitually eat for breakfast? Or DOES your main character eat breakfast?

MA