Irish oatmeal with dried apricots and brown sugar

7
Points®
Total Time
1 hr 7 min
Prep
12 min
Cook
55 min
Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
This warming, satisfying meal is a wonderful year-round breakfast option. Irish oatmeal, Scotch oats, or steel-cut oats are all names for groats that have been cut into pieces but not rolled. Consider making a double batch of this oatmeal to reheat for almost-instant breakfasts later in the week. They have an incredible nutty flavor and texture and are very much worth the extra time it takes to cook them. Feel free to use whatever dried fruit you’d like—dried sour cherries, prunes, golden raisins, figs, currants, or pears would all work deliciously here. You may also like to top the oatmeal with sliced fresh fruit or berries.

Ingredients

Water

1 cup(s)

Apple juice

2 Tbsp, or cider

Cinnamon stick

½ average

Packed brown sugar

2 tsp, divided

Table salt

tsp, or to taste

Uncooked oatmeal

½ cup(s), Irish variety

Dried apricot halves

½ cup(s), finely chopped, divided

1% low fat milk

½ cup(s), warmed

Instructions

  1. Bring the water, cider, cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Add the oatmeal and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
  2. Discard the cinnamon stick and continue simmering, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes longer. Stir in 1⁄4 cup of the dried apricots and simmer, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes longer.
  3. Transfer the oatmeal to 2 bowls. Top evenly with the remaining 1⁄4 cup dried apricots, the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, and the milk. Serve at once. Yields 3⁄4 cup cooked oatmeal with toppings per serving.