We are almost a month into school, some of you are just starting out post-Labor Day, and I’m pretty sure we can all agree that mornings are rough!  (BTW- If I have to see one more picture on social media of some super mom decorating chalkboard coated cookie sheets announcing the new grade and “what I want to be when I grow up”, I’m seriously going to get one of those old school bumper stickers that said “my kid beat up your honor student”.)

Sorry about that rant, I digress easily… back to the recipes! I celebrate my crock pot by cooking breakfast overnight so that in the morning, I can just scoop up a bowl of goodness or maybe throw it into a thermos for a hot lunch at school.  It’s even easier to manage that pouring a bowl of cereal and remembering to buy milk.

Here are a few ideas to try to alleviate the stress from your morning routine. Let’s not be ugly before coffee and the school bus arrive!

Crock Pot Cherry Pie Oatmeal

Crock Pot Purple Oatmeal

Crock Pot Fruity Oatmeal

Crock Pot Escalloped Apples

Crock Pot Grits

Crock Pot Blueberry Cobbler

Crock Pot Tapioca Pudding

What are your favorite ways to make it through the school morning routine??

This was a crazy weekend! School is back in session, the weather is still warm, and my calendar is booked. I love it. It’s this type of crazy that makes me smile– and sleep well! But when I wake up, it feels like I’m set on low for hours. So I decided on Friday night that I would whip up a batch of overnight oatmeal to help brighten up my weekend morning.

When people talk about having a stocked pantry, oatmeal is pretty much a staple. Steel cut, instant, quick oats… there are lots of kinds and they are all pretty basic. I happen to have steel cut oats right now, so that’s what I used, but in other recipes, like my Crock Pot Purple Oatmeal, I use regular oats, too.  Another staple that I keep on hand, are frozen fruits. They work great in smoothies, but also are the perfect addition to overnight crock pot oatmeal.

There are very few ingredients in this recipe, but the combination is well worth waking up for in the morning. You can handle sunrise, too, if you start it with something that tastes like pie.

 

Crock Pot Cherry Pie Oatmeal

Serves 6

1 1/3 c. steel cut oats

2 1/2 c. water

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 c. frozen cherries

Put all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on “KEEP WARM” setting for 8 hours. Serve with greek yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.