Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats (Slow Cooker) (With Sweet Potato Variation)

This was a delicious way to eat oatmeal!  And so easy too- you just cook it in the slow cooker for 4 hours and it turns into the thick, creamy, perfectly cooked oatmeal you see above.  And it's perfect for fall!  A friend from my online cooking group made this and told us about it.  I made this one afternoon and then stuck the whole batch in a tupperware and put it in the fridge.  Every morning for a few days, I warmed up portions in the microwave for my husband and I for breakfast.  It was so good and such a quick way to have steel-cut oats in the morning!  You don't even have to add milk while warming it up, although I liked to add some almond milk after it was warmed up.  My husband loves chia seeds in his oatmeal, and I just added some to the bowl before adding the cold oatmeal and microwaving.  After warming up, just stir the seeds in.

A few notes:  this does not work well for an overnight recipe; anything more than 4 hours would overcook or burn this.  So make it when you have at least 4 hours at home during the day, and then either eat it as "breakfast for dinner", or stick it in the fridge for later like I did.  Another thing; use steel-cut oats for this.  They are really sturdy and hold up to the longer cooking time.  If you absolutely have to use rolled (old fashioned) oats (don't even come near this with quick oats, lol!) I've heard that 3 hours works, but I'd just buy steel-cut oats for this recipe.  They're so good!  And lastly, you may want to stir in another 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon when this is finished cooking, since the slow cooker usually diminishes the flavor of spices. 

Note: After Thanksgiving, I made this with Sweet Potato Puree, leftover from making a Sweet Potato Pie.  I had 1 1/4 cups leftover, and I just used all of it in place of the pumpkin puree and kept everything else the same, except for adding some cardamom.  It was delish as well, and tasted very similar to the pumpkin.  Photo above.

Pumpkin Spice (or Sweet Potato) Steel Cut Oats (Slow Cooker)
adapted from Eat at Home
makes at least 5-6 servings

1 cup steel cut oats*

1 12oz can evaporated milk

3 cups water

1 cup pumpkin puree OR 1 cup sweet potato puree (I used 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cardamom, optional

1.  Spray the inside of slow cooker crock with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together.  Pour into slow cooker.  Cook on low for 4-5 hours.  Mine was absolutely perfect at 4 hours; any longer it would have been overcooked.  (Not a great recipe for overnight.)  Serve with extra milk, if desired.

3.  For breakfast in the morning, just microwave individual servings; this keeps well in the fridge for a few days. 
*Look for gluten-free oats if eating gluten-free.

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