When I was a kid, we had Quaker® Oats a lot. My mom made them for breakfast and from time to time as a quick snack. For me, Quaker® Oats is the perfect comfort food. I can remember waking up to the smell of oatmeal, bacon, and eggs wafting up the stairs, (talk about motivation!) which helped me move a little faster. Having a warm bowl of hot cereal before going out to school was the perfect antidote to a cold, wintry day. Because we asked for mom would often prepare Quaker® Oats for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And I still love the stuff!
And now with kids of my own, I am passing along the Quaker® Oats tradition. Over the years, I have come to appreciate the versatility of Quaker® Oats, with the easy addition of whatever fruit is on hand, a few toppings like nuts, honey or cinnamon and viola, good eats is served!
Right now Quaker® has a recipe contest going on to#BringYourBestBowl. With the Quaker’s National Bring Your Best Bowl Contest, you can submit a recipe inspiration with the chance to win $250,000! And top recipe entries created from this contest will be sold in stores for a limited time this Fall (2016). For your recipe entry, you can create a recipe with Quaker® Oats and at least 2 -5 additional ingredients.
So, our family put our heads together and came up with a recipe inspiration for this content. We decided to take our love of oats, fruit, and sweet potatoes to make a slamming #bestbowl recipe creation!
Quaker® One-Minute Oatmeal with Brown Sugar Sweet Potato with Strawberries & Cinnamon Cream Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of Quaker® One-Minute Oats
- water (follow cooking direction on the package)
- 2 – 3 fresh strawberries
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoon of heavy cream (more as needed)
- 2 tablespoons of clove honey (not included in ingredients photo)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 small sweet potato, cut into to “1/2 cubes
- 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
- Prepare oatmeal following directions on the box.
- In a skillet add EVOO and butter, when butter is melted add the sweet potatoes, add one tbsp of brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon and cook over medium heat until fork tender.
- Add cooked and softened sweet potatoes, two tablespoons of heavy cream, a pinch of cinnamon and one tbsp of honey to a food processor, mix until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time and a squeeze of honey until you get the right consistency. Set aside.
- In a small bowl add softened cream cheese, 1 tbsp of brown sugar and heavy cream. Whisk until mixture is smooth and pourable.
- Add cooked Quaker® Oats to a small bowl, add sweet potato mixture.
- Pour on a bit of the cinnamon cream cheese.
- Top with sliced strawberries.
- Dust with brown sugar.
- Serve.
Here’s another easy and savory Quaker® Oats #BringYourBestBowl idea to try (perfect for lunch or dinner):
Quaker® Old Fashioned Oats with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms & Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Quaker® Old Fashioned Oats
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1/3 cup Portobello mushrooms, chopped
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 medium clove garlic minced fine
- 1/4 cup goat’s cheese, shredded,
- 1 1/2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
- Sea salt or Kosher to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Cook Quaker® Old Fashioned Oatmeal following package directions. Replace water with unsalted chicken stock.
- Sauté onions and mushrooms together in a hot skillet using a single tablespoon of EVOO. After onion becomes translucent add minced garlic and stir constantly for a minute more.
- Then fold in cooked oatmeal and the remaining half-tablespoon of EVOO.
- Toss ingredients until combined.
- Plate savory oatmeal and add shredded goat cheese.
- Garnish with a fresh sprig of parsley.
- Serve.
Now since you have checked out our recipes, I encourage you to head on over to the national sweepstakes site and enter for your chance to win and inspire the next Quaker® Oatmeal flavor!
Important dates to remember:
- Contest Start Date – January 2016
- Contest End Date – March 12, 2016
- Announce Winner – November 2016
We talked about what we could do with $250,000 (if we were to win)! Here’s what we came up with:
- Invest a chunk of the money (real estate, stocks, and savings)
- Redo our Kitchen, laundry room, both bathrooms, and create a studio.
- Donate money to some of our favorite charities
- Go to Africa
What would you do with $250,000 if you were to win this Quaker’s National Bring Your Best Bowl Contest? Leave me a comment below and let me know! And be sure to head over and enter! And if you do win, come back and tell me!
Hopefully, our recipes inspired you to get into the kitchen and create something fabulous and delicious with Quaker® Oats. If not, then you have to easy one-minute hot cereal breakfast ideas to add to your busy morning routine!
Jeanette says
Sweet potato?! Now that is something I need to try! I have heard of the rest in the oatmeal, but never something like this!
T Worthey says
Yes, Jeanette sweet potato! The creaminess of the sweet potato pairs well with the cinnamon cream cheese and oatmeal. And if you’re wearing socks it’ll knock ’em off! You gotta try it!
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
That sounds like a great breakfast. Definitely something that will stick to your ribs for a while.
Maggie Branch says
I never thought to add sweet potato to my oatmeal. I will have to try it tomorrow morning. I bet it is delicious!
Kelli @ 3 Boys and a Dog says
I love oatmeal and am always finding news way to prepare it! Some of the ideas I’m not too sure about, but some look delicious! Can’t wait to try with strawberries! I always use bananas or peaches!
T Worthey says
Kelli the versatility of oatmeal is endless! We often perceive oatmeal as something that MUST be served sweet. But oatmeal is a wonderful grain that can hold its own when served with the addition of savory ingredients too. The brown sugar sweet potato is surprisingly delicious!
Miles L. says
I always love oatmeal for breakfast. There are different ways to prepare oatmeal and I’ll your ideas a try.
victoria says
This is absolutely a good and a healthy breakfast. I would love it with mango or strawberry!
Annemarie LeBlanc says
That is an amazing contest! I mean who would not want to win $250,000? I will have to get our heads together and think of a unique recipe using Quaker oats!
HilLesha says
I never really got into oatmeal that much, but this certainly looks delicious! I may have to try this sometime soon.
OurFamilyWorld says
That looks yummy. I bet the heavy cream made this even more delicious.
Paula Schuck says
This would be an amazing contest to win. These recipes both look delicious. I wan to try the Brown Sugar Sweet Potato with Strawberries & Cinnamon Cream Cheese first.
Claudia Krusch says
It looks sooo good! I love oatmeal, I can’t wait to make it!
Jessica Simms says
This looks amazing! I never thought to add some delicious sweet potato to my morning oatmeal, that’s a perfect idea.
T Worthey says
Thank you, Jessica! And yes, the addition of warm sweet potato with brown sugar is going to make your mouth very, very happy!
Becca Wilson says
I never thought to put cream cheese and strawberries with my oatmeal. How amazing since these are three favorites of mine! I will be giving this a try.
Yona Williams says
WHHHAAATT! This sounds and looks delicious. I love the addition of the cinnamon cream cheese to the oatmeal, and with the strawberries. Sounds like a sweet breakfast treat!