Tried it Tuesday: Earl Grey Oatmeal

The weather is crisp and cool now in the mornings and nothing pleases me more than to treat myself to some hot, hearty oatmeal and a steaming cup of Earl Grey before heading off to work. It’s a favorite morning indulgence often accompanied by a book with the morning news humming in the background. My ideal morning.

This week I suddenly had an epiphany: What if I combined the tea and the oatmeal? The thought was so crazy it just might work!

So, I decided to do a little experimenting as I often do on Saturdays when the cooking or baking bug bites me. After a couple attempts (and a huge mess) Earl Grey oatmeal was born. The flavor is surprisingly good and totally worth sharing.

Here\’s what I used (Single serving):

1/2 cup Quaker Oats (I like the Old Fashioned ones)

1 cup milk (soy, almond or rice milk work great, too)

pinch of salt

handful of dried cranberries

handful of dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teabag Earl Grey (Twinings is my favorite)

 
Directions:

Put milk and pinch of salt into saucepan and bring to a boil.

Remove the boiling milk from the heat and put in the teabag. Cover and seep for 3-5 minutes (depending how strong you want the flavor).

Remove and strain the teabag. Bring milk to a boil again.

Stir in oats and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. (Here’s where I made the mess so be sure not to stroll too far away from the stove at this point)

Serve with cranberries and chocolate chips.

Recommended to be eaten on a chilly morning while reading a good book!

(Note: you can definitely do the cooking steps in the microwave but I tend to make an even bigger mess that way. To boil the milk the first time, microwave times will vary but to cook the oats 2.5 to 3 minutes should do the trick.)

Bon appetite!