Sunday, February 13, 2011

Sunday's Recipe: Overnight Oatmeal

Weekday mornings in our house are anything but typical.  As many of you know my youngest son is 14 (soon to be 15...my leap year baby!) and is affected by mild Autism.  He has no concept and time whatsoever and moves quickly for no one!  His bus is scheduled to pick him up at 7 am....we have to get up at 5 am and on most days, I'm still rushing to get him out the door at the last minute.  So, in my attempt to make my mornings as stress-free as possible and allowing myself time to work with him, I've finally mastered "overnight oatmeal" in the crock pot. My first few attempts were a gooey mess but after realizing my slow cooker gets pretty hot even on low, I've made some necessary adjustments and this recipe is incredible!  And I place the left overs in small cup size containers and the boys have nutritious and filling snacks during the week as well!

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup old-fashioned quick cooking oats (steel cut oats work well also)
  • 2 cups milk or water ( I prefer to use water)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup finely chopped apple
  • 1/2 cup raisins and/or dates
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds ( pecans can also be used)
Directions:
Spray the inside of the crock pot with an non-stick spray.  Throw all ingredients inside and mix well.  Cover and cook on "warm" for 8-9 hours.  30 minutes prior to serving, turn crock pot to "low". Stir before serving. Makes approximately 7 servings.

*Originally, I tried this recipe on "low" for 8-9 hours only to discover my crock pot was just too hot.

And, you can always experiment with different fruits as well. I recently used dried blueberries instead of raisins and it was delicious!
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8 comments:

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    http://www.mommiesplayground.com

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  2. I call my crock pot the incinerator. Really. I've mastered it quite well, it's just that low for three to four hours is usually quite sufficient to cook whatever.

    Most recipes call for seven to eight hours on low.. I think it gives crockpots a bad name.

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  3. Sounds very yummy! Hubby is making us so rolled oats thsi mornig for breakfast. What a pleasant surprise. I came across your blog through the Say Hi Sunday blog hop. Blessings

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  4. What a fantastic idea. I like hot cereal..especially in the winter. It must smell so good to wake up to that!! I'm glad you said what you did about the hot crock pot...mine runs hot as well. =)

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  5. Sounds YUMMY! We started rolling our own oats...and I need MORE because I have been making so much granola...need to try this recipe this week!!! Thanks!

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  6. Mmmmm! I used to make a similar recipe all the time. Really need to start making this again. Thanks for the reminder.

    Sopping by from the Say Hi Sunday Blog Hop!
    Mom In Orbit

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  7. This looks delicious! Thank you for sharing! I am your newest follower www.mooseandtater.com

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  8. Hello! I love your blog, recipes, and reviews and would like to give you the Stylish Blogger award.
    http://siobianthebookowl.blogspot.com/2011/02/stylish-blogger-award.html
    I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

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