Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

If you have a crock pot from the 70's in avocado or harvest orange you can make this recipe. If you own a newfangled model, no creamy oatmeal for you. The newer models were built to run at higher temperatures. Unless you like the smell of burnt oats and scraping, don’t try it (ask Kristy). Steel cut (Irish or Scottish) oats are even better for you then regular oatmeal. Sometimes supermarkets keep them with the oatmeal, sometimes they are in the health food section. They are usually in a bag like Bob’s Red Mill products come in. They are also sometimes in the bulk section. People like me who hate, hate, hate the mushy texture of regular oatmeal like steel cut oats for their chewy, but still creamy texture. My two year old niece Eva says I make good oatmeal. You may be interested in my whole grain nutrition entry.

Use any mixture of dried fruit you like. I suggest at least ½ cup dried cranberries. The dried cranberries make it sweet enough that you don’t need extra sugar. Dates help make the oatmeal sweet too. This recipe is adapted from Alton Brown on the Food Network.

Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

serves 8 (or less)

INGREDIENTS

1 C steel cut oats

1 C dried fruit

½ C buttermilk or milk, or half-n-half

4 C water

Before you go to bed, put all ingredient into your mid-century crock pot. Cover and cook on low overnight, eight to nine hours. Stir. Add brown sugar, honey, or cinnamon to taste in the morning. The sugar will burn if you add it at night. Leftovers reheat nicely in the microwave.