Overnight Hot Tea Oatmeal

Here's an excellent method for making oatmeal overnight in the fridge.  A lot of overnight oatmeal recipes have a raw oat flavor that I don't care for, but these oats are made with a hot tea/milk mixture that eliminates that raw taste.  I love the convenience of being able to serve freshly made oatmeal on a busy morning without having to stand at the stove, cooking and stirring.  Simply pull these out of the fridge and eat them cold or, if you prefer, zap them in the microwave for a minute or so.  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate link)

• old fashioned oats https://amzn.to/3GdIVe0

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Overnight Hot Tea Oatmeal

makes 1 serving

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup whole milk

• pinch fine salt

• 1 tea bag (your favorite variety)

• 1/3 cup old fashioned oats

• sweetener of your choice

• optional toppings: fresh fruit, nuts, dried fruit, etc

Directions

1. Heat milk to scalding (just below the boiling point).

2. Add tea bag and steep for 4 minutes; remove tea bag and discard.

3. Stir in oats.

4. Pour mixture into an airtight container; chill overnight.

5. Serve hot or cold with your choice of sweetener and optional toppings (I used a sprinkling of brown sugar and sliced almonds in the photo above).

Note

• Be sure to use your favorite tea - English Breakfast and Constant Comment are my current favorites. Chai is particularly nice in cooler weather.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions

Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite veggies.  They get such a bad rap, but I think that's because most of us grew up eating them boiled until they turned gray and mushy.  Thankfully we've discovered much more appetizing ways to prepare them these days.  This version is so good, it just might end up on my Thanksgiving table.

Start by cooking some thick bacon until it's nice and crispy.

Remove the bacon from the pan and saute the onions in the bacon drippings.  Oh my!

When the onions turn translucent, add halved Brussels sprouts.

Cook, stirring every now and then, until the Brussels sprouts begin to caramelize and soften.

During the cooking process, a delicious brown "fond" will form in the bottom of your saute pan.  Add a tablespoon of rice vinegar to loosen that wonderful brown flavor into the dish.

Mmm, almost done!

When the sprouts are "crisp tender", stir in the reserved bacon.  Taste carefully and season with salt and pepper before serving.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 3-quart braiser https://amzn.to/3G8I5PD

• large saute pan https://amzn.to/32P4lAI

• my favorite nakiri knife https://amzn.to/3uirfvH

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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions

makes 4-6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide pieces

• 1 large onion, minced

• 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large saute pan (or braiser) over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp; remove bacon from pan, but reserve bacon drippings.

2. Still over medium heat, saute onions in bacon drippings until soft and translucent.

3. Add Brussels sprouts and toss frequently until they start to caramelize a bit and become "crisp tender".

4. Add rice vinegar to deglaze pan and stir in reserved bacon.

5. Season with salt and pepper.