Lately I have been cooking breakfast for the family in the morning, most of the time it's biscuits, scrambled eggs and fruit. I wake up early to do this. Earlier than I would care to get up on a cold morning. So feeling slightly proactive I decide to prepare breakfast before I go to bed, so I can sleep in a few minutes longer.
Crock Pot Oatmeal is something I started perfecting since our first winter here in Texas, some 5 years ago. I think I have it down to perfect. I use the regular old fashioned oats (not quick cooking) I personally prefer the steel cut oats, but the family prefers the old fashioned variety.
Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is preferable)
1 cooking apple peeled & cut into bite size pieces (Granny Smith, Macintosh, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady are all ones that I have used)
4 cups water
Tools needed:
Crock pot with a low setting. I love this one by Hamilton Beach. It has the locking clips to clamp the lid down in case you need to transport. I've had it for a little over a year now and it still works great. Good crock pot for under $50.
Toss all the ingredients in the crock pot.
Looking good already...Turn your crock pot on the low setting and head off to bed.
About 2 am the smells of cinnamon and apple start wafting upstairs. mmmm....
In the morning you'll wake up to this
Big pot of warm, cinnamon-y oat meal. I ended up using a honey crisp apple this time because the granny smith pictured was a little too bruised. I only use 1/4 of a cup of brown sugar, we don't like it too sweet, but you can add more if you want. You can even change it up, add some raisins, pecans, walnuts, dried apricots, etc. Apple cinnamon is our favorite.
This was my tiny portion before I had to take the boys to school. Derek eats close to half the pot before he heads off to work.
Stay warm out there!
Oh wow I am gonna try this tonight. Thanks for sharing kind lady!!!
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