Although I prefer making oatmeal from scratch, usually in the crockpot, I have to admit that I do keep a supply of instant oatmeal packets on hand for busy mornings or when a child wants a hot snack. The packets tend to have a lot of sugar and food coloring in them, so I often go for the ones that are plain. The problem is that my kids don’t like them so much when they are plain. Nothing surprising there of course.
To solve the problem, I usually add my own mix ins to the instant oatmeal, such as cinnamon and brown sugar, raisins, or a spoonful of apple butter. Those mix ins work well, but variety is good, too.
This week, I have been going through stacks of magazines in an effort to clean out the ever recurring clutter, offering them to a group of ladies I know who appreciate them. As I was browsing through a copy of the Back to School edition of All You Magazine, I came across a side bar article that lists some very creative mix ins for instant oatmeal. I imagine that you could also use these ideas with oatmeal from scratch as well.
There were four suggestions for “giving instant oatmeal a twist”: Chocolate-Banana, Cinnamon-Raisin, Ginger-Spice, and the unexpected Maple-Bacon. There isn’t a link to the recipes online, so I’ll share a couple of the recipes, here.
Maple Bacon Oatmeall
Stir in two slices of crumbled, cooked uncured turkey bacon and two tablespoons of maple syrup. Top with one teaspoon of dark brown sugar.
Ginger-Spice Oatmeal
Stir in one tablespoon of sugar (I use evaporated cane sugar), one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, one-eight teaspoon of ground cloves, and one-eight teaspoon of nutmeg. Top with two teaspoons of chopped crystalized ginger. This one was a little too spicy for us, but I may alter it by eliminating the ginger and possibly stirring in a spoonful of canned pumpkin.
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