Saturday, January 15, 2011

Mornings in Mom's Kitchen

As I was growing up, my mom was the queen of breakfast! Whether it was grapefruit, a full on brunch, coffeecake, hot cereal, eggs, pancakes or a fruit salad, it was always ready on the breakfast table to start off our days. For Christmas this year, I got slow cooker and the cookbook, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook--which isn't a very good title in my case because my mother owns the same cookbook which is how I discovered it and why I love it! After a trip to the Farmer's Market last weekend, where my roommate ate slow cooked steel cut oats, I decided that oatmeal would be the first meal made in my slow cooker. Oatmeal from my mom's slow cooker on freezing cold IL winter mornings is such a beautiful memory and I was so excited to recreate it with my roommates.

Slow Cooked Oatmeal
Adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
4 3/4 cups water
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Combine the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours (overnight). This could also be done on high for 2 to 3 hours.
In the morning, stir the oatmeal well and set onto warm. Serve with your preferred toppings. That's it!


I topped mine with pure maple syrup, soy milk, cinnamon and brown sugar. The texture of the oatmeal is completely different when it it made in a slow cooker. It is thick and creamy and absolutely wonderful. I can't believe I've been making mine on the stove top all these years! I just simply can't go back to that now. This really brought my back to our kitchen in Illinois and the cold winter mornings when this breakfast got me warm and ready for the day. My whole house enjoyed a warm hearty meal that morning and our tummies were full and happy for hours.

5 comments:

  1. Ok, well thru tears and a smile I type this but you knew it would be this way...
    I love you updates and this oe brings back so many wonderful memories of our years together preparing foods. Funny you bring up breakfasts today as I was cleaning out drawers in our kitchen this orning and packed away a bag of utensils to pass on to ou...one being a heart pancake mold. So you will soon be able to make heart shaped pancakes for your roomies covered in pure maple syrup. Love ya Sissy!!!

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  2. Haha momma. Didn't expect tears, but I'm glad you liked it. One day, I'm going to get a griddle for pancakes, and maybe I'll saw off one of the legs so it will remind me of the wobbly one that I grew up with! Love you.

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  3. The last time I made slow-cooked oatmeal was because your momma told me to. :)

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  4. Steel cut oats - the best! Just bought a 2 # bag from Bob's Red Mill here in OR.

    I was fascinated by this book just last week at a local book store here.
    ...thinking I might have to have it.

    The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes
    by Anupy singla
    http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Slow-Cooker-Healthy-Authentic/dp/1572841117/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295139970&sr=1-1

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  5. @Laura-She knows what she's talking about! Isn't it delicious?

    @Joan-I need to get steel cut oats when I go to the store next. I looked today in the bulk section at our co-op and they didn't have any. And that cookbook looks really good. I've been wanting to find a good Indian cookbook.

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