Overnight Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

This is the way I currently make oatmeal most of the time. It's easier than trying to cook it in the morning! 

 

Overnight Oatmeal

2 cups regular or steel cut oats

6-8 cups water

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp butter

1 apple, peeled, cored, diced

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Spray slow cooker with nonstick spray. Mix ingredients in crockpot. Turn on low heat for 8 hours and then stir when finished. If you use regular oats, it is a smoother porridge-like dish. If you use steel cut, it will have a nice chewy texture. 

Caution: The raisins will swell up and be very soft. I like them this way. You may not. 

Modified from Mels Kitchen Cafe. (Removed maple syrup & blueberries, added butter, apples & raisins, changed sugar, increased cinnamon)

Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins

These are delicious muffins, the glaze takes them from pretty good to awesome. Without the glaze, they taste like a kind of healthy fruity muffin. With the glaze, you can serve them at a party or make them as a treat. These muffins make me want to have my own raspberry plants. I originally found this recipe here.

Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or oil
3 large eggs
2 cups plain yogurt
3 cups flour (whole wheat is my preference)
2.5 cups quick oats
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup smashed raspberries

Glaze
1 Tablespoon cream cheese
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons raspberry juice (from smashed berries)
Confectioners sugar

Mix butter, sugar and eggs. Add yogurt, mix well. In separate bowl, mix flour, oats, soda and salt. Combine with wet mixture. Fold in smashed berries.

Put mixture into greased muffin cups, Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes for mini muffins, 15-18 minutes for full size. Muffins should spring back when gently touched. Let cool before glazing.

For glaze, mix cream cheese, butter and raspberry juice then start adding confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup at a time until it is desired thickness. Drizzle over muffins.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

We love cookies. Simple, sweet, fast, tasty...what's not to like? Easy to make with your kids...one of my favorites is oatmeal chocolate chip. You get some healthy oatmeal, but with chocolate. Mmmm....chocolate. It surprised a friend to know that I use the recipe on the Oatmeal box, b/c I think it is the best. Of course, that is with the qualification that you use real unsalted butter and double the chocolate chips (which go instead of the raisins).

So here is the recipe the way we've been making it. Mmmm...cookies.


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 pound (2 sticks)unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Servings: About 4 dozen

Oatmeal Porridge

Our favorite breakfast for the past few months has been oatmeal porridge. It is a simple recipe you start the night before, and it has made it so that I can't eat instant oatmeal any more, it's so good. Serve with hot chocolate on a cold morning for a good warm you up breakfast. :)

Put equal parts regular oats and water in a bowl, add 1 Tbsp of whole milk plain yogurt or creme fraiche and mix. (I do 2 cups oats, 2 cups water, 2 Tbsp yogurt for our family usually). Cover with a clean towel and let sit overnight.

Put water on to boil, the same amount you put in the oats the other night (2 cups for me). When it is boiling, add the oat mixture and simmer to a good thickness, stirring frequently.

Serve with more yogurt or cream, apple butter, favorite jelly, honey, fresh fruit or whatever else you want to add for sweetness/flavor. Or eat plain!

Our favorite toppings:
Homemade apple butter mixed in tastes like apple cinnamon oatmeal.
More yogurt and fresh peaches makes peaches & cream oatmeal
Blueberries & yogurt
Strawberry jam
cinnamon, brown sugar & raisins...
lots of options!