Jalapeño Popper Savory Oatmeal with Maple Bacon Slice of Jess

Savory Oatmeal just might be my favorite breakfast item, ever. Cheesy, spicy and oh-so-satisfying, this Jalapeño Popper masterpiece is a must-try! I definitely suggest serving this with a jammy egg and fresh herbs. Delish!

My friend Erik and his team at theFUZE recently started filming a culinary series with local, Charlotte-based chefs. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m pretty jealous that he gets to have all this fun in the kitchen with so many talented people. You watch the series trailer here. I seriously can’t wait to watch the full episodes when they come out. Not to mention, Chuck Asher’s kitchen at Swanson Girard is a dream-come-true for any cook.

When it comes to cooking, I rarely make sweets. I’m not sure why… I just don’t crave those types of dishes. So when Erik posted a photo of his SAVORY OATMEAL on Instagram, I was completely flabbergasted. How have I never thought of making my oatmeal savory?! That’s right up my alley!

This recipe was inspired by a meal that Certified Executive Chef, Michael Beers, whipped up during his feature on theFUZE & SGA’s culinary series. His was a family-style oatmeal risotto (Riz-Oat-t’oh) with vegetables a la plancha. Doesn’t that sound amazing? (Here’s his post on Instagram.) Since I didn’t have all the ingredients he used on hand, I decided to make up a savory version of my own!

I pretty much always have all ingredients to make jalapeño poppers in my kitchen. Baked in the oven, fired up on the grill or crisped in my air fryer… I’ll take a batch any way they’re prepared! Jalapeño poppers are probably one of my favorite appetizers… and I’m just realizing now that I’ve never posted them on my blog. Oops, my bad. That will change soon.

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Parmesan Air Fryer Fried Pickles

BBQ Hawaiian Slow Cooker Meatballs

The Most Refreshing Strawberry Margaritas with Mint

Jalapeño Popper Savory Oatmeal with Maple Bacon

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

FOR THE SAVORY OATMEAL:

1 tbsp. Butter
½ Spanish Onion, minced
1 Jalapeno, minced
1-1/2 cups Whole Milk
¼ cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
⅓ cup Cream Cheese
½ cup Shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar
Salt, to taste

SUGGESTED ADDITIONS:

4 Slices Cooked Maple Bacon, crumbled
2 Hardboiled Eggs, cut in half
Shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar, as needed for garnish
Cilantro, as needed for garnish
Blackening Rub, for garnish on the eggs

Instructions

Sauté onion and jalapeno in butter over medium-high heat until softened. About 5 minutes.
Add milk and heavy cream and bring to a soft boil.
Next, add the oatmeal and turn heat down to a low simmer. Continue to simmer for five minutes, uncovered.
Add cream cheese and cheddar. Stir until melted and well combined. Taste and add salt if necessary.
I plated mine with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, cilantro and jammy hardboiled eggs. Enjoy immediately.

NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:

Jammy hardboiled eggs are pretty easy to make. Simply add eggs to a saucepan and cover with at least 1 inch of water. I like to add a little white vinegar to my water as well to help with the peeling process. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat off. Let eggs sit on the stove for 5 minutes. I have a glass stove-top so mine continue to soft-boil for the remaining 5 minutes. If you have a different type of stove, cooking times may vary. When the timer has gone off, place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Chef Beers’ recipe was made with steel cut oats, but since I didn’t have any on hand, I made my recipe with old fashioned. The texture on mine came out similar to a risotto… so I’d like to say you can use either. I’ll have to try this with steel cut next time, and I’ll update the blog with my results.
My all-time-favorite-seasoning is Still There Shine Sauce Blackening Rub. I use it on everything, and Chef Dave Bettendorf is a culinary wizard. You can buy his amazing products online; I definitely recommend them! They’ll be your fav too.