The Soup Diva

This recipe makes 2 larger or 3 smaller servings. Double if needed.

Add to small slow cooker coated with cooking spray:

• ½ cup steel-cut oats (NOT rolled oats)
• 1/3 cup loose brown sugar (or Splenda blend)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Stir well, breaking up any lumps in the sugar. Then add:

• 1 ½ cups water
• 1/3 cup milk or cream (or egg nog)
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine

and stir. Cook on lowest setting overnight (or at least 4 hours). Stir well before serving. Enjoy!

Tips:

• These amounts made a creamy but “spoonable” oatmeal; if you like yours a little runnier, increase milk to ½ cup. Also, increase or decrease sugar based on your personal preferences (1/3 cup gave it a definite but not overpowering sweetness).

• You can add dried fruit to the oats before cooking (add a little extra water), but add nuts AFTER cooking because they can get a mushy.

• If your slow cooker does not have a “warm” setting or if you do not have a small slow cooker, there are 2 tricks that will help prevent overcooking: 1) set your crock on top of an empty tuna can placed inside the heating element. 2) mix oatmeal in a smaller bowl that fits inside the crock, and fill the empty space outside the bowl with enough water to come to approximately the same level as the contents of the bowl. (Make sure the bowl allows PLENTY of room for expansion, or you will have floating oats in your water bath!)

For Instant Pot [cook the morning of], use 1 cup oats and 2 cups water; all other ingredients as above. Cook on normal pressure for 4 minutes then allow natural release for at least 10 minutes. Stir well before serving. Makes more than slow cooker version, but not quite double.