Vanilla Raisin Steel-Cut Oatmeal

We love oatmeal, especially slow cooked steel-cut oats. I like to top the cooked oats with fresh bananas, sautéed apples with cinnamon, or chopped pecans. Raisins are my favorite topping. Plain raisins work fine, but for a lazy weekend breakfast, I recommend infusing the raisins with extra flavor. Brandy infused raisins are delicious on oatmeal, in bread pudding, rice pudding, or eaten by the small handful. Vanilla Raisin Steel-Cut Oatmeal is the best!

Today we had our oatmeal topped with vanilla infused raisins, raw sugar, and a splash of cream.

Infusing flavors into raisins is easy and hydrates them into plump, juicy little morsels. All you need do is add 1-2 tablespoons vanilla, brandy, orange zest or whatever you like to ⅓ cups raisins in a shallow microwave-proof dish. Add enough water to just cover the raisins. Microwave for 30-60 seconds until the liquid is very warm but not boiling. Remove from the microwave and let the raisins steep a minimum of 15 minutes up to overnight. Drain the raisins and place on paper towels to dry. That's it! Add them to your oatmeal or desserts for a delicious twist.

We like a little sweetness with our oatmeal so we add brown sugar or raw sugar for a nice crunch. If you prefer your oats sugar-free, feel free to make that change! Heck, add some cinnamon or freshly ground nutmeg.

Splash some cream or half-n-half over the top just before serving. Mess your oats up with skim milk if you like, they're your oats.

Jazzing up your oats for the weekend will give your family that bed-and-breakfast feel without ever leaving home!

Vanilla Raisin Steel Cut Oatmeal

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Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 2 -3

Ingredients

• ▢ For the raisins:
• ▢ ⅓ cup raisins
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ For the oatmeal:
• ▢ 4 cups water
• ▢ 1 cup regular steel-cut oats (not quick cooking)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ For the other toppings:
• ▢ Raw or Brown Sugar
• ▢ Half-n-Half or Heavy Cream

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Instructions

• For the raisins:
• Place the raisins in a shallow, microwave-proof dish. Add the vanilla. Add water to the dish just to cover the raisins. Microwave until the water is very warm but not boiling. Alternative method: If you don't want to microwave, pour hot (not boiling) water over the raisins. Allow the raisins to steep in the hot water a minimum of 15 minutes to overnight. Drain the raisins and place them on a paper towel to dry.
• For the oatmeal:
• Bring four cups of water with ½ teaspoon salt added to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the oats to the water, stirring constantly.
• If the oats are cooked on too high a heat a gummy foam may form on top. It can be skimmed of with a spoon. It is just the starch from the oats and is perfectly edible if you chose to leave it.
• Continue to cook over low heat, stirring frequently for 30-45 minutes until the water has absorbed and the oatmeal texture is to your liking. We like ours on the dry side.
• Remove the oatmeal from the stove and immediately spoon into serving bowls. Top with the sugar and raisins. Drizzle with the cream or half-n-half just before serving.

Here is the DIY instructions for Homemade Vanilla Extract.