Kelsey's Leftover Oatmeal Crackers

I have this very frugal part of me that comes out whenever I am confronted with leftovers. I simply can't stand to throw things away when I just know that with a little creativity, they can be repurposed. Sometimes I find that the new dish made out of the old ingredients is even better than the original dish and that was the case with these Oat Crackers. While I was in Germany visiting my son, my daughter-in-law made Oatmeal for breakfast and we had a lot left over since my son didn't want any.  So, I suggested that we try to make Oat Crackers out of them as an experiment. So, Kelsey pressed out the cold Oatmeal onto parchment paper, coated the top with a little butter (or oil) and then sprinkled on some salt and some herbs and they came out great! I just got sent the picture, so I thought I would share the recipe with you. Oat Crackers are quite common in the UK and there are several good brands. My son thinks they are particularly good with Blue Cheese. Keeping that in mind, Oat Crackers are designed to be a bit on the bland side to serve with spreads that are quite flavorful so the most important thing is that you make them super crunchy. That means taking the leftover oatmeal and spreading it really thin before baking them. All that's required for seasoning is a little Sea Salt or Seasoned Salt and whatever dried herbs you like - Thyme and Rosemary and Oregano are particularly good. You can also sprinkle on Sesame Seeds if you like. These are really simple crackers, but they are also really delicious and the perfect way to repurpose leftover breakfast oatmeal!

Leftover Oatmeal Crackers

2 cups leftover, precooked Oatmeal (preferably Steel Cut Oats - I used 1 cup with 4 cups boiling water and a pinch of salt - we ate half and used the rest for the crackers)

1 Tablespoon Butter (melted) or Olive Oil

1 teaspoon either Thyme or Rosemary Leaves or a combination

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt or Seasoned Salt

Optional:  1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

Mix the Olive Oil into the Cold Oatmeal.  Then place a piece of parchment onto a baking sheet.  Place oatmeal onto the parchment and press down with your hands and spread until the oats are really thin.  Sprinkle with Sea Salt or Seasoned Salt and Sesame Seeds (if using them).  Bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes or until dried and crisp on the edges  and no longer sticky in the middle - this may take up to 15 minutes more - they will dry more when they cool off.  Let them cool and then break into cracker sized pieces to serve with cheese or dips.

Five Element Analysis

Oats belong to the Earth Element, but they are also good for the Kidneys because they retain so much water, which is then very good for the Digestive System. The Olive Oil contributes the Wood Element, the Thyme and Rosemary add the Metal Element and the Sea Salt and Sesame Seeds contribute more of the Water Element. Only the Fire Element is missing, so these crackers would be particularly good with a Fire Dip like a Red Pepper Spread like Muhammara (previous post) or you could sprinkle on some Smoked Paprika or Cayenne Pepper to create a Five Element balance in the cracker itself.