Mare's eat oats and does eat oats...so should you!

All through the night and early morning I felt sure our house was going to be blown to bits. Rain and wind pelted the windows. It was a perfect morning for a steamy bowl of oatmeal, making me especially grateful for oatmeal today! I never used to like oatmeal. It was mushy and gross! Then I discovered Steel cut oats. If you've never seen steel cut oats, they are pictured above. Steel cut oats are actually the whole oat groat cut into 3 or four pieces. They look similar to a cut rice. Popular brands are McCann's and Bob's Red mill. Sometimes it is called Irish or Scottish oatmeal. I find mine in the bulk section of my grocery store. Chewy with a nutty flavor, this oatmeal is absolutely delicious! They take a little longer to cook, but you can make them the night before with this cool recipe!

Crock Pot Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups water (I use 3 cups if I'm cooking stove top)
1/2 cup half and half or milk
1 cup dried or fresh fruit of choice (fresh fruit will make the oatmeal thinner)
1 - tbsp butter
1/2 - 1 tsp Cinnamon
Milk/cream and brown sugar (or honey) to taste
Pecans (optional)

Find a 1.5 quart bowl that will fit completely in your crockpot. Mix oatmeal (you can toast them first for a nuttier flavor and other ingredients in the bowl. fill crockpot with about 1/3 of the way with water, put in bowl add enough water in the crockpot so it is the same height as the oatmeal in the bowl. Cook overnight on low. Serve with milk and brown sugar to taste. Top with pecans if desired.

STOVETOP - combine all ingredients in 2 quart saucepan. If you are using fresh fruit wait to add it. Cover and bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes and add fresh fruit, bring to a boil again, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 more minutes. Serve with milk, sugar and nuts if desired.

Curl up by the fire on a blustery fall morning with a hot steamy bowl!