Slow Cooker Spiced Vanilla & Apple Steel Cut Oatmeal

Wowza...long title.  Did you get all that?  I am sure I have said this before but I LOVE OATMEAL!  There is really nothing better then a nice big steaming bowl of oatmeal on a brisk autumn morning.  Are you in the mood yet?

This oatmeal is SO good, yet not that pretty.  So therefore, no pictures.  Hope you understand. 

I made this oatmeal around 3pm.  It takes a recommended 5-6 hours in the slow cooker.  I am NOT waking up to start breakfast, so I made it late enough so I could have a small bowl for dessert before bed.  The steel cut oats retain their shape, I guess you could say, so you can reheat it just fine.  I added a touch of milk and an extra sprinkling of brown sugar before I heated it in the microwave.

The recipe I started with said it made 3 to 4 servings.  If you eat oatmeal on a regular basis I am sure you have seen how small the portion sizes are.  So I doubled the recipe.  I shouldn't have done that.  I now have a TON to eat.  So this will easily make 6-8 servings.  This would be a GREAT holiday morning breakfast!  Easy to make a feed a gang!

Let's do this thing.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 apples, cut into bite size pieces with the skin still on.  Just make sure to wash well.
• 3 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar 

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in the slow cooker.  Cover and cook LOW 5-6 hours.  NO LONGER.  
2. Stir and Enjoy!   If reheating add an extra splash of milk and an extra sprinkle of brown sugar never hurt anyone.

Recipe inspired by Sweet Treats & More