Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Easiest, most nutritious hot breakfast ever!

 Let's call this recipe Wednesday!

I know I should like oatmeal, but truth be told, I don't. This is sad, because I like pretty much anything that doesn't crawl off my plate; I've never been a picky eater,  and oatmeal is probably the cheapest breakfast food you can buy--and we all know that I like cheap. My husband even harasses me occasionally. "Make oatmeal," he says, "I like oatmeal! Oatmeal is good for you!" So out of some weird sort of guilty obligation, I would make oatmeal sometimes. The kids tolerated it, but didn't like it. (Gruel was their preferred term.)

To be completely honest, I have to admit that I like the oatmeal that is served at Living Waters Camp in Maine. Go figure. I have tried to replicate it's creaminess, but mine ends up in more of a glue-like consistency.

Now, however, all things have changed. I found a crock pot oatmeal recipe last week, and I've already made the stuff two times! Yesterday after serving it, my oldest son (who likes oatmeal the least), said, "Good oatmeal, mom."

Whoa.

So, here's the recipe, easy-peasy:

2 apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups milk
2 cups of water

Core and slice the applies thinly (peeled or not) and layer them on the bottom of the crockpot. Cover evenly with brown sugar and then oatmeal. Slowly pour in water and milk. DO NOT MIX IT UP. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. It doesn't look very nice, but it tastes wonderful. Pure yumminess. I thought the sweetness was perfect, my men added a little more sugar. This makes the right amount for the five of us. I'm sure halfing the recipe is doable, but may take less time to cook.
Here's the uncooked dry stuff.
And here it is cooked (told you it didn't look so great:)

I will most likely experiment with different fruit, maybe pears or apricots? Softer fruits like peaches or berries would probably do better if added after cooking. I think you could use white sugar or Splenda or even honey if you are adventurous. I'm hooked!

Let me know if you try it.

11 comments:

  1. I'm trying it!!!! Lauren

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  2. Trying on the weekend! Thanks Nancy

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  3. Thank you! We are trying this! Last year, I became mean mom when, after watching my boys continuously waste milk and go overboard with cold cereal (which cost a fortune here!) I told them no more cold cereal. At all. Oatmeal everyday. Except on Sunday....IF they had eaten their oatmeal all week and finished on time. They hate it. It takes them almost 40 minutes to eat breakfast now. Guess what? I am saving all kinds of money! Mwa-haha. We get a muesli sort of mix from prizemart. Not bad. Amber

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  4. Love it Amber...my kind of mom! Funny, if I LIKED oatmeal, I'm sure I would have done the same thing!! Sad but true. I do make homemade granola, which we have a couple times a week (crockpot recipe for that also, a later blog:) I don't buy much cold cereal here either. Lots of eggs, pancakes and toast.

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  5. I may try this, too. I also do not care for oatmeal...except, of course, oatmeal cookies....Lynn

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  6. I freeze pumpkin in ice cube trays and add it with cinnamon and maple syrup to oatmeal. Sometimes pecans too. It transforms it into something much happier. Dried blueberries, a splort of blueberry jam and some pecans is equally happy.
    Stephanie

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  7. Sounds good, Steph. I think I recall you telling me this once. This is why I need to write things down:)

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  8. I didn't put the apples in it, not sure how much it difference it made, but if you use steel cut oats I would suggest putting extra liquid in it. Sue

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  9. I just "Pinned" this for future reference. Question: Did you add milk individually afterwards, or was is just straight from crockpot to bowl? How much would you say this made... you all ate it... seconds? any leftover? (trying to determine how many it would serve) Lori

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  10. I thought they only had 2 meals over there,, fish & rice & rice and fish?? In Hawaii lots of mornings we ate Spam & rice wrapped in seaweed,, it was next to every check out.. Fun to see how other areas of the world live and eat!! Aloha Richard

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  11. Lori, some of added more milk, some not. I did...I like it creamier. The five of us had a decent size bowl with very little leftovers. Sue, thanks for that. Good to know for future use Richard, we eat pretty Western here in HK, at least at home. I do enjoy all the different foods when we eat out. Spam and Seaweed? Hmmmmm.

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