Dorm Room Porridge (Crockpot style)

NOTE: I HAVE A SMALL ADDENDUM AT THE END ON HOW TO COOK OATMEAL IN 2-3hrs INSTEAD OF OVERNIGHT AS SPECIFIED IN THE ORIGINAL RECIPE.

I am obessed with oatmeal.  Oatmeal cookies.  Oatmeal bars. Oatmeal scones.  Scottish oat bread. Oatbran muffins.  Quick-oats. Rolled-oats. Etc. etc.  But the original, and my all-time favorite, is slow-cooked steal oats. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  The only problem with living in a dorm room is a) The cafeteria doesn’t serve steal-cut. Just the mushy instant Quanker kind. Yuck. b) I lack a pressure cooker and c) No access to a stove.  Microwave cooking steal cut oats results in a giant, explosive glooey mess. Attempt at your own peril mis amigas.

Soooooo, for all you oatmeal fiends out there—who can’t get your fix from the insta kind—I have “formulated” a delectable porridge via the crockpot.  I love the recipe even more because it requires almost no work as all the cooking happens overnight and you wake up to piping hot b-fast. NOTE:  you will need a small bowl that fits inside your crockpot in order to “double boil” the porridge.

Ingredients:

¼ tsp oil; such as coconut, sesame or canola

¼ cup steal cut oats

¾ cup to 1 cup water

2 tsp seasoning; such as maple syrup, brown sugar, miso, mirin, tamari… go crazy! (I used 1tsp tamari and 1tsp brown sugar)

toppings;

such as dried fruit, seeds, nuts, chocolate chunks, apples chunks, berries, spices, jams, nut butters, granola, trail mix…

(I used: 3 diced prunes, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds + ½ tsp cinnamon)

Directions:

Oil the inside of a little bowl with the ¼ tsp oil.  If touching the oil freaks you out, and I know there are a few of you out there, rub the oil around with a rolled up paper towel to evenly distribute.  This will prevent the oats from sticking to the bowl and turning your morning breakfast into a mining mission.

 Mix the oats, water and seasonings together inside the oiled, little bowl.  Fill the crockpot with about 1 inch of water and place the little bowl inside the crockpot.  The water level inside the crockpot should be about level with water inside the little bowl.

Cover the crockpot and set to low heat.  Allow the crockpot to do its magic for about 6-7hrs.  Uncover, stir about the oats to break up the slight “crust” formed on the surface of the oatmeal.  Dump in the toppings, mush about, and enjoy your porridge.  It’s the breakfast of champion students.


Addendum: If you would prefer to make your oatmeal ahead of time in larger batches, place crock-pot on HIGH instead of LOW.  The oatmeal (or rice) will cook in about 2-3 hrs depending on the quantity.  I usually make a double batch with 1/4 cup rice, 1/4 cup steal cut oats and 1 cup of water.  This mixture takes about 3 hrs on HIGH.

Cheers, kaite ;]