Night Cereal: Cheesy Savory Oatmeal

This post is sponsored by Got Milk? Food Loves Milk.

My big kids love helping out in the kitchen as much as possible. They're huge fans of cooking and baking, and are always keen to try their hand at making meals for the whole family. While they're happy to follow recipes, more often than not they prefer to be a little more experimental and come up with their own creations. This isn't always so successful - case in point, the bright green, mushy "pancakes" they just handed me - but other times their experimenting pays off and we end up with a new recipe to add to our arsenal. The recipe I'm sharing today is a great example of their successful experimenting. Don't worry - it's not mushy green pancakes!

This week Ava and Lola were keen to make dinner by themselves. I thought it might be a fun idea for them to mix things up a little and make a classic breakfast dish, with a spin, for dinner. Most mornings Ava makes herself a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. She makes it the old fashioned way, on the stove with a lot of milk and a dash of honey for extra sweetness. As she's already a pro with the oatmeal we decided this would be a good place to start, with Lola as her helper. But instead of adding that dash of honey for sweetness, the girls added some of their favorite savory ingredients to make it a satisfying dinner meal. 

Oatmeal for dinner? I know it sounds a little out there, but trust me, it's pretty tasty. It reminds me a little of risotto. It's filling in a satisfying yet not heavy way, and it's packed full of healthy ingredients with the goodness of milk poured on top. 

Ok, you know you're intrigued now! So let's have a look at how to make this tasty night cereal...

What you'll need:

1 Cup milk

1 Cup water

1 Cup oats (we used quick oats)

1/2 Cup grated cheddar

1/2 Cup creamed corn

3/4 Cup sliced roasted turkey (cut into small pieces)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons finely chopped chives 

     

Place the oats, milk and water into a large pan and heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Cook until the oatmeal thickens and becomes creamy. This should only take about one minute if you use quick oats, as we did. If you prefer to use old fashioned oats, this should take about five minutes.

Add the paprika, turkey, cheese, creamed corn and chives. Stir to combine.

Reduce the heat to low, and cook for a further two minutes or until the cheese has melted and the turkey has heated through. If it starts to get a little dry, add more milk.

Remove from heat and serve into bowls with a little extra grated cheese on top.

 Don't forget to pour milk on top as you would with regular oatmeal!

 Give it a stir and enjoy your tasty night cereal!

This recipe really is so quick and easy to make. It's perfect for little chefs.

My favorite thing about this savory oatmeal is that it can be modified in so many different ways. Prefer bacon or ham instead of turkey? No problem, just switch it up. Want to make it more like breakfast? Make a simple omelet, slice it up and stir it through the oatmeal. Looking for a hearty vegetarian option? Add grilled mushroom. The possibilities are endless and I'm looking forward to experimenting more with the kids. I'd love to hear what you would add.

Do you ever eat cereal for dinner? When you mix things up a little like this it's a great way to get kids eating a healthy and satisfying meal. I mean, isn't it just fun to eat breakfast for dinner?