Preparing for Breakfast

Ok, so by now, you know that I am a breakfast fanatic. It is, hands down, my favorite meal that uses my favorites foods and it immediately wakes me up in the morning and gets me going for the day. Tonight I prepared breakfast for tomorrow so I wouldn't have much to do in the morning. How does Steel Cut Oatmeal cooked in Almond Milk with apple pie topping and brown sugar bacon sound? To me, like heaven.

Steel Cut Oatmeal (from Ireland, of course)
Ingredients:
1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups almond milk
Dash of almond extract
Dash of salt

1. Put the almond milk and extract into a pot.
2. Bring to a low boil over medium high heat.
3. Add the salt and oats. Turn heat down to a simmer and stir for a few minutes.
4. Remove from heat, put lid on and let sit for 1 hour.
5. Put in refrigerator and re-warm the next morning.

Apple Pie Topping (Bobby Flay's recipe)
Ingredients:
1 granny smith apple, peeled and medium diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs brown sugar

1. Combine water, cranberries, cinnamon and brown sugar in saucepan over medium high heat.
2. Cook for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved.
3. Add apples. Stir.
4. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until apples are tender and sauce has thickened.

Use this topping on top of oatmeal with a little Greek yogurt. YUM!!

Ever since Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa) told me I could cook bacon in the oven, I have been HOOKED! Hooked, I tell you. It's the easiest thing in the world. It helps if you have 1/2 sheet pans and a couple racks. I don't have the right kind of racks yet (still need to purchase the ones that fit in a 1/2 sheet pan) but I use my cookie cooling racks and they work just fine.

Brown Sugar Bacon
Ingredients:
Bacon
Brown Sugar

1. Lay bacon out on racks on cookie sheets. These racks will allow the grease to drip off the bacon and into the pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Cook bacon for 13 minutes. Open oven and sprinkle brown sugar on bacon (just enough that each piece has a light dusting).
4. Put bacon back in oven and cook for 8-10 more minutes.
5. Be very careful removing these as there will be grease in the bottom of the pan. Let cool and ENJOY!!!!!

I'm already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow!