Oatmeal, like broccoli, is one of those healthy foods that I can only eat when it is accessorized. Cheese sauce for broccoli and butter, raisins, cinnamon, etc. for oatmeal. Still, I think it is better to eat accessorized oatmeal than no oatmeal. I don't like to cook oatmeal. For some reason, when I do a large batch of it in a saucepan it has a tendency to boil over. You almost need a jack hammer to clean dried-on oatmeal off your stove top. And when you are making instant oatmeal for a crowd, you can spend all day opening those little packets. So...(drum roll please) I have a solution that I would like to share. At Wal Mart, you can buy a 2 quart crock pot for $8.54. They advertise it as being perfect for sauces and dips. Well, it is also perfect for oatmeal. Dump everything in the night before, set it on low, and voila! You have oatmeal in the morning, ready to dish up to your hungry and appreciative family. You need to allow about 8 hours--this won't work if you go to bed at midnight and get up at five. Here is the basic recipe. If it is too thick or too thin for your taste, you can play with the oatmeal/water ration. Use the old fashioned or steel cut oats.
Crock Pot Oatmeal
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 to 1 cup chopped dates, apples, or raisins, or combination, optional
4 cups water
dash salt
Sray the crock pot with non-stick spray, add everything and set it on low for 8-10 hours. Serves 8. (Of course you can cut the recipe in half for four servings.)
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 to 1 cup chopped dates, apples, or raisins, or combination, optional
4 cups water
dash salt
Sray the crock pot with non-stick spray, add everything and set it on low for 8-10 hours. Serves 8. (Of course you can cut the recipe in half for four servings.)
Here is a picture of my new baby crock pot so you can see the relative size.
What a fun idea. I love oatmeal but my kids haven't really embraced it yet. Maybe I will try again. I remember when you used to make us that cracked wheat cereal in the crock pot when we were little.
ReplyDeleteHarvey makes oatmeal for me several mornings a week. He uses the microwave and has become quite the little houseman now that he's retired.
ReplyDeleteI particularly enjoy eating my oatmeal in bed while watching morning craft shows.
What a life....
Just to put my very late 2 cents into this oatmeal conversation I love oatmeal and eat it almost every morning at work. I use instant. My children also love it I normally do the instant so they can pick their falvor but it takes kind of forever and it seems like they are eating in shifts. I can only microwave one at a time... I might have to try this out. I love baby crockpots.
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