Slow Cooker Savory Oatmeal With Bacon Scallions And Cheddar Recipes

SLOW COOKER SAVORY OATMEAL WITH BACON, SCALLIONS, AND CHEDDAR

Steps:

• Generously butter a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the oats, 4 cups water, and I teaspoon salt. Cook until the oatmeal is thick and tender: on LOW for 4 hours or on LOW for 2 hours followed by WARM for 6 to 7 hours.
• Put the bacon into a cold large skillet and bring the heat to medium. Cook, flipping a couple times, until the bacon has rendered a lot of its fat and is deeply browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then coarsely chop. You can do this right before serving the oatmeal or the day before, in which case store the crisped bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before using.
• When the oatmeal is done, stir in the bacon, white and light green scallion slices, and about three-quarters of the cheese (about 6 ounces). Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary and a few grinds of pepper. Serve in bowls topped with the remaining cheese, the dark green sliced scallions, and eggs, if you like.

SAVORY BACON, CHEDDAR AND SCALLION MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin pan or a giant 6-cup muffin pan with butter.
• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Heat the 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and cook until slightly wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Whisk the egg, broth, milk, olive oil, sugar, mustard and salt in a large bowl. Gently stir in the flour and baking powder until evenly combined.
• Fold in the cheese, cooked scallions and cooked bacon.
• Divide the mixture among the muffin cups and bake until the muffins puff up, are golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes for a 12-cup muffin pan or 25 to 27 minutes for a giant 6-cup muffin pan.
• Let the muffins cool 5 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire a rack before serving.