Mother's Day Strawberries and Cream Oats

Mother's day is just around the corner and I can't think of a better way to pamper Mom for all she does than to serve her these amazing STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM OATS.  They're a little bit healthy, a little bit indulgent, and completely over-the-top divine!  I promise, she's going to love every bite!  

Ok, this is going to be really easy.  Start by placing sliced fresh strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Toss them well and set aside until we need them again.

Place the water and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add the old fashioned oats.  Pinhead oats, steel cut oats, and/or groats are also excellent, but they take much longer to cook so be sure to follow the instructions on the package.  

Definitely avoid instant oats - they cook up very mushy and kind of flavorless.  Mom will use them when she bakes.

Bring the water, salt, and oats to a gentle boil, stirring frequently to keep the oats from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  

Stir, stir, stir.... it won't be long... just a few minutes. 

Look, it's only been a few minutes and we're almost there.

Perfection!  Now here's where we take dull, boring oatmeal and turn it into something spectacular!  Remove the oats from the heat and stir in the following:

Brown sugar - mmmmm!

And the very best pure vanilla extract you have - double mmmmm!  

I'm telling you, if you stop right here you'll have the best bowl of oatmeal ever, but we're going to take it over the top.

Give the strawberries you prepared earlier a stir - the sugar we added to them will have turned them a deep ruby color and they should be all nice and juicy.  Spoon a generous portion over Mom's oatmeal and drizzle liberally with heavy cream.  

Now get ready, Mom's going to be amazed.  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3r9wNGK

• my favorite little trimming knife https://amzn.to/3s4CO6O

• stainless saucepan https://amzn.to/3LdK9tE

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Strawberries and Cream Oats

makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 3 1/2 cups water

• pinch of fine salt

• 2 cups old fashioned oats

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark)

• heavy cream for drizzling

Directions

To make the Strawberry Topping:

1. Place sliced strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

2. Toss well and set aside until needed.

To make the Oatmeal:

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine the old fashioned oats, water, and salt.

2. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and brown sugar.

4. Serve oatmeal with strawberry topping and drizzle with heavy cream.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs

I love to cook chicken thighs because it's almost impossible to overcook them.  Break out the slow cooker - this recipe makes sticky, flavorful thighs with very little effort.  

Make a flavorful spice rub by combining dried granulated garlic, dried basil, fine salt, ground black pepper, and dried granulated onion. 

Other flavor components needed - olive oil and freshly minced garlic.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice rub.  Use it all. 

Put olive oil in bottom of 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.

Add freshly minced garlic.  Garlic is oil soluble so that garlic flavor is going to flavor that oil beautifully.

In goes the seasoned chicken thighs.  Try to place them in a single layer.  I'm only making half a batch today, so I'm using my small slow cooker.  More on below the recipe.

Time to douse the chicken with balsamic vinegar.  IMPORTANT - be sure to use really good, aged, sweet balsamic.  This stuff is awesome!

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.  I know it doesn't look that great now, but just wait.

Alrightly - here we are after 4 hours on high.  Serve the chicken as is, or go the extra step and turn those yummy drippings into a rich glaze.  I'll show you how.

But first, decide whether or not you want to keep the chicken skin.  The skin doesn't get crispy in the slow cooker, so I place the chicken thighs, skin side up, on the sheet pan and I place them under a preheated broiler for a few minutes.  If you're not a fan of the skin, you can just discard it.

Pour the leftover drippings into a skillet and reduce by half, then taste and, if desired, add a teaspoon or two of honey.  

Pour glaze over chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• slow cooker https://amzn.to/3s4CwwK

• balsamic vinegar https://amzn.to/32PA3xx

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Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Thighs

makes 8 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried granulated garlic

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons dried minced onion

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (very good quality)

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley

• Optional: honey to taste

Directions

1. Combine the dried granulated garlic, dried basil, fine salt, ground black pepper, and dried minced onion in a small bowl and sprinkle over both sides of the chicken; set aside.

2. Place olive oil and fresh minced garlic in the bottom of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.

3. Place chicken pieces in the slow cooker, in a single layer; pour balsamic vinegar over chicken.

4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

5. Remove chicken from slow cooker and discard skin OR leave skin on and arrange chicken pieces, skin side up, on a sheet pan and place under a preheated broiler for several minutes to crisp skin.

6. Make glaze by pouring the leftover drippings from the slow cooker into a skillet and reduce by half over medium-high heat.

7. Carefully taste the reduced glaze and serve as is, or, whisk in a teaspoon or two of honey in until it reaches the sweetness level you like.

8. Pour glaze over chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Notes

• Recipe can be halved using a 2 or 3-quart slow cooker.

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs may be substituted.

adapted from  Sugar Free Mom