Food & Wine Chickie Insider

Oatmeal Serving

Oatmeal on a cold morning is a personal favorite.  I’ve seen a ton of recipes for Crockpot oatmeal and finally decided to try it.  I’ve tried my own version and it’s worked well on the first try!  The steel-cut oats give the oatmeal fabulous texture and the old-fashioned oats provide the creaminess that’s perfectly soothing on a cold morning.  Make in the evening and wake up to a perfect breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup steel-cut oats ( I used McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats ( I used Old Fashioned Quaker Oats)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Maple syrup (optional)
• Golden raisins (optional)
• Warmed, light cream (optional)

Directions:

1. 

   Oatmeal Cooking

   Find a ovenproof bowl that will fit inside your Crockpot with some space around it.  Fill the Crockpot with water to half full.  Place the empty bowl in the Crockpot.

2. Blend the water, oats and salt in the bowl.
3. Turn the Crockpot on low and cook for 8 hours.
4. Serve with maple syrup, raisins and cream if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Notes: Yes, the oatmeal can be made by incorporating dried fruit like dates, apricot and cranberries in the cooking process, but the above is the purist’s version.

They say a banana is the world’s most perfect food, but a soft-boiled egg with the right seasoning and a dollop of mayo might just be ‘it’ for me.

Perfect Egg

Directions:

1. Place room-temperature egg in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water so there’s about 1-inch of water above the egg.
2. Put saucepan over high heat.  Allow to come to a boil, then immediately remove from heat.  Allow eggs to stand in hot water for 5 minutes.
3. Drain hot water and place the egg on an egg cup or small saucer.
4. Cut a small ‘cap’ off the top of the egg, exposing some of the soft yolk.
5. Season with sea salt, cracked pepper and a small dollop of mayonnaise.

This simple batter is best made the day before and refrigerated.  Great stuffed with hazelnut spread and raspberries.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup flour
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 tbs sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Stir together flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Add milk, oil and eggs.  Mix well until the batter is smooth.  Let rest in refrigerator for at least an hour or ideally overnight.
3. Heat large frying pan on medium-high heat.  Add 1 tsp vegetable oil.  Add ¼ of the crepe batter and swirl plan to create a thin crepe. Cook 1 minute on each side and serve with favorite topping.

Makes 4 crepes.

• 4 medium to large fresh portabello caps
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup fried, crumbled bacon
• salt
• 8 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Place the portobello caps, gill side up, in a large baking dish and bake 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.  Add shiitakes, onion, and corn; sauté until mushrooms are limp and corn is tender, 3-4 minutes.  Add pine nuts and bacon and stir well.  Season to taste.  Be sure to season well, making it a little salty.

Remove mushrooms from oven and evenly divide shiitake mixture among the four caps, smoothing surface.  Make sure caps lay as flat as possible.  Crack 2 eggs on top of each mushroom.  Return dish to oven and bake until eggs are done to your liking.

4 Servings.