Apple, Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Oatmeal

I love all of the warmth and comfort fall foods bring me this time of year and because I pretty much avoid all soups/casseroles during the summer months, when September rolls around, I start to get very antsy to make all of my favorite fall dishes. Unfortunately, it’s still been very hot here in Chicago, making it pretty unbearable to go outside because the humidity is still lurking in the air. The worst part is, the weather has totally put a damper on enjoying anything warm or fall. I can’t even begin to think about ordering a PSL… where are my iced coffee lovers at?

While it’s been pretty dreadful during the day, the AC has been keeping us cool, allowing us to enjoy the delicious foods our family and friends have been making us since our second was born. We haven’t had to cook a meal yet and I am so thankful for their gracious hearts and scrumptious food – it’s the best gift and makes things so much easier!

While I love not having to cook, I can’t completely keep myself out of the kitchen. One food I did make recently was some apple cinnamon oatmeal because it’s super easy, freezes nicely and can be made in big batches. An added bonus, our toddler can’t get enough of it and it’s been one of her favorite foods since she started eating purees. I can still picture her chubby legs kicking as I’d feed her spoonfuls of the oatmeal and apple.

This recipe is super creamy because it’s made with milk instead of water and there’s a nice  sweetness from apple and brown sugar. If you have apples laying around, this is a staple to keep your heart warm and taste buds happy in the coming months.

If you end up making it, don’t forget to tag your photos with #marinamakeseats!

Apple, Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2 cups of 2% or whole milk
• 1 cup of old fashioned oats
• 1 cup of red, sweet apples, peeled and diced into bite-size pieces (I used Gala apples)
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• Pinch or two of salt
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Directions

In a medium saucepan, boil milk over medium-high heat. Make sure to keep an eye on this as milk boils over easily. When milk starts to boil, add oats, apples, a couple of pinches of salt, and cinnamon.

Lower the heat to a simmer (medium-low heat) and cook oats and apples for about 7-10 minutes until thickened and all of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar.