Cranberry Apple Oatmeal
Fall brings about such cozy feelings for me. Not only cozy sweatshirts and fires but cozy, warming things in my belly. The full-body warming feeling that comes from oatmeal is such morning comfort. Being surrounded by local apple orchards, apple picking season brings about a bowl of fresh apples on the counter for weeks on end. There really isn’t a better snack and any that get soft I can easily toss into oatmeal or other dishes.
In August the orchards in our area put out a schedule of when each variety will be ready for picking. McIntosh’s are always first followed by Honeycrisp. Honeycrisp is our favorite for snacking! So good, fresh, crispy, and sweet. For baking, I like Golden Delicious and Johnathan’s. Having local access to orchards here in Ohio it has been fun to discover varieties we hadn’t tried before like Ambrosia and Empire. I am curious about what you find in your areas? This breakfast is so easy, warmed, and cooked in just one pot. Dicing a few apples – I even leave the peel on, warming them with oatmeal and spices fills your house with the scents of fall. The aroma of spicy cinnamon and apples cooking always gets me in the mood for autumn. Oatmeal is everything I love about apple pie cooked into a hearty comforting breakfast.
Apple Oatmeal with Cranberries and Walnuts
rolled oats water apples chopped walnuts (pecans may be substituted) dried cranberries kosher salt cinnamon butter light brown sugar, maple syrup or honey
Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Recipe
Pecans may be substituted for walnuts in this recipe. Alternatively, the nuts may be skipped entirely if they aren’t your thing. It’s delicious however you choose to make it.
Hearty Breakfasts
Oatmeal has been a favorite breakfast in our house for years. Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, Slow Cooker Oatmeal with Strawberries and Bananas, Peaches and Cream Oatmeal, and Berry Baked Oatmeal are just a few of the oatmeals that make repeat appearances in our home. Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal is lightly sweetened with bananas and honey. Your morning oatmeal meets up with banana bread in this fun twist on a classic breakfast. Whether you’re making breakfast ahead of time as baked oatmeal or stirring it up in the morning, the warm, comforting smell brings my boys out of bed every time. I love that and my slow cooker that makes breakfast so easy. Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites: First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high. My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker? For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect. Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers. If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
