Bacon Cheddar Steel-Cut Oatmeal (4 servings) 3 cups water 1 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup steel-cut oats 2 Tablespoons butter 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 4 slices bacon - cooked crisp and crumbled 1 teaspoon chopped chives or parsley black pepper - to taste This recipe reminded me of a nice risotto I'd have at a fine restaurant. The oats become very creamy and the flavors of Cheddar and bacon go surprising well with the oats (which I tend to associate more with sweeter flavors like brown sugar and maple syrup). For even more flavor, I recommend that you try replacing 2 cups of the water with chicken stock. As you might suspect, more cheese and more bacon makes everything more better. If you're not dieting, consider bumping the cheese to 1 and 1/3 cup and go for 6 strips of bacon. All in all: This was a fun, tasty recipe that is ripe for experimentation. I suspect I'll make it again. (This recipe was concocted, tested and photographed in March 2014.) How To Make Bacon Cheddar Steel-Cut Oatmeal In a large sauce pan. bring the water, milk and salt to a rolling boil. Slowly, stir in the oats (slow enough so that the liquid doesn't stop boiling). Stir for 1 minute and reduce heat to simmer. Cover the pan. Simmer for 30 minutes - stirring once every 10 minutes. When oatmeal has reached desired consistency, stir in the shredded cheese, the chives (or parsley) and all but 1 Tablespoon of the bacon. Add pepper to taste. Top each serving with the reserved crumbled bacon. Cooking Notes: Interestingly, these oats become more creamy if you let them set for 15 minutes and then reheat them. If you have the time, it makes a difference. If you like pepper, use a lot of it. As with grits, pepper is the ingredient that makes the dish say, "I'm savory and that's just how it is Dude." Serving suggestion: Use this savory oatmeal as a bed for a fried egg. This savory oatmeal is reminiscent of polenta, grits or risotto. Steel-cut oats already have a savory, nutty flavor that pairs surprisingly well with other savory flavors. Mr Breakfast would like to thank Mr Breakfast for this recipe. Recipe number 3223. Submitted 3/17/2014.