Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal - Oatmeal Party Bar

When we have family get togethers it's usually early so we typically serve Brunch.  It seems though we ALWAYS serve the same things over and over again.  Bagels, lox, salads, french toast casserole etc.  So this time when I had my entire family over for Brunch to celebrate my daughter's 12th birthday I decided to add a new item - Oatmeal.  I know many family members like oatmeal including many of the kids but I  also know that everyone likes to eat oatmeal flavored their own way.   For example, my kids love brown sugar and maple syrup in their oatmeal but my Mom always flavors hers with a little salt and prefers it more savory.   So I set up a "bar" of flavoring ingredients which was also a great way to make use of the case of mason jars I just bought at target.   I made a double portion of slow cooker steel cut oatmeal (recipe below) and set up mason jars filled with different ingredients.  Brown sugar, coconut, nuts, maple syrup, dried fruit, cinnamon -  just to name a few.  I also had a jar with fresh blueberries (not shown).  The options are endless! This was a fun  addition to our family brunch menu.  The kids really loved making their own oatmeal as did the adults.  

Ingredients:

1 cup Steel Cut oats (not the quick cook)- Also known as Irish Oats.

1 1/2 cups low fat milk or Almond Milk

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a slow cooker add all ingredients and stir.  Set your slow cooker to the low and let cook for 3 hours.  Check oatmeal after 3 hours and give it a stir and a taste.  Oatmeal should be thick but spoonable.  When tasted it should have a lot of texture but be soft not be crunchy.   If you feel your oatmeal is too thick add a splash a milk and give it a good stir.  If you feel it's too runny let it cook for another 30 minutes and check again.  Every slow cooker is different so you will have to play around with your recipe to see how long it will take for you.  If you want to cook it longer you can also set your slow cooker to warm intend of low and let it go for 4-5 hours before checking.  

Coconut Yogurt Cream Pie

I love greek yogurt!  I recently bought Chobani coconut yogurt thinking it was vanilla and wow what a happy mistake, I love coconut and this yogurt is really delicious.  I have been eating this Chobani coconut greek yogurt almost every morning with fresh blueberries.  

I was really excited to make this pie and incorporate this yummy coconut yogurt.  This recipe is super easy and quick and delicious.  It's a really light and airy pie and you can definitely make it low fat by swapping out the reduced fat version of 4 ingredients which is what I did.

Ingredients:

2-5.3 oz containers Chobani coconut greek yogurt

1-8oz block of light cream cheese, softened

1 tub of light cool whip whipped topping, thawed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup of flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

1 reduced fat graham cracker pie crust

Preparation:

Toast coconut on a cookie sheet in a 350 F. degree oven until golden brown about  10 minutes.  Check often to make sure it doesn't burn.  Remove from oven and let cool.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer beat together cream cheese and coconut yogurt.  Add sugar and beat until full incorporated and smooth.   Using a rubber spatula fold in the entire tub of cool whip to the yogurt mixture until it is light and fluffy.  Poor coconut yogurt cream mixture into prepared pie crust.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.  Right before serving sprinkle toasted coconut all over the top of the pie.  Slice, serve and ENJOY!!

Coconut Macaroons

I make these cookies A LOT!  They are a big hit everywhere I bring them.  If you are a fan of coconut, these are the cookies for you! It's one of those recipes that I don't need to bother measuring anymore and it always comes out delicious.  The trick is to let them get pretty dark and toasted and then the sugar and coconut will caramelize on the bottom of the cookie......so good!

Ingredients:

5 cups sweetened coconut
½ cup sugar
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Line a baking sheet with a silpat baking liner or parchment paper. Mix together all ingredients in a medium bowl until moistened. With damp hands form small haystack shapes on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cookies are golden brown. Let cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack. They are also delicious if you dip the bottoms in melted chocolate. Just let harden well before packing up.