This isn't exactly what you asked for, but here's my quick and easy way to cook steel cut oats. Take a wide mouth thermos capable of holding the volume of oats + water you need. The night before, boil up the amount of water you need. While it's coming to the boil, preheat the thermos with very hot tap water. When the water boils, pour out the hot water out of the thermos and put into the thermos the dry oats, plus whatever else you want (butter,sugar, sweetener, cinnamon, whatever you like). Put the boiling water in the thermos, stir, and close it tightly.

In the morning you will have well cooked oats, and usually it's quite warm. If the ambient temperature is very cold, the oats may be a tad tepid. Just spoon them into a bowl and nuke them.

The advantage to this is that you don't have to wait 45 minutes or so for the oats to cook. You're asleep. And in the morning, the oats are ready with at most a minute of microwaving to do.

If you do this, don't be alarmed if there is some gel formed on the top of the oats in the thermos. That's soluble fiber, I think; just stir it back into the oats. It's good for you.

This technique is, of course, limited by the size of the thermos. But if you're cooking just for one or two, it's great.

Food & Wine has this today:

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats
6 cups water
1/4 cup chopped salted roasted almonds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Brown sugar or pure maple syrup, for serving
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, boil the oats in the water for 1 minute. Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature.
The next day, uncover the oats and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the oatmeal is cooked and creamy but still a little bit chewy, about 10 minutes. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls. Top with the chopped almonds and dried cranberries and sweeten to taste with brown sugar or pure maple syrup.

MAKE AHEAD
The prepared oatmeal can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Rewarm in a microwave oven and thin with water if necessary before serving.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oatmeal overnight.

I've also seen recipes for overnight oatmeal in the crockpot but can't put my hands on the one I clipped to try. It used steel cut oats and suggested a "breakfast bar" of toppings if serving houseguests, etc...

seagrass

I do a firm baked oatmeal (firm enough to be cut into squares) using a technique given to me from a friend, who adapted it from Amish baked oatmeal. It has tons of options. I am attaching the link to my Google doc, in case that's along the lines of what you're looking for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal in the Crock Pot, can't recall who to give the Props to! But this is very good and very easy.

4 cups of water to 1 cup of oats will result in 4 servings

Find a bowl that:

1) Holds four cups of liquid

2) Fits inside your crock pot with the lid on.

Measure out one cup of Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal. Pour that into the inner bowl. Add the four cups of water. Stir.

Fill the crock with water to a little more than halfway. Set the inner bowl in the crock and see how high the water rises with the displacement. Add water in the crock if necessary.

Place the lid on your crock pot. Set on low. Go to bed.

When you awaken the next morning, your oats will have cooked to perfection overnight in the steamy bath.

You can add all your favorite goodies the night before and let them cook along with your oats�raisins, nuts, etc.

By using your crock as a double-boiler, the oats don�t get all crusty and burnt on the sides of the crock pot, as they do when you cook the oats in the crock itself. Put the oats in their own bowl, and there�s no waste, no lost oats. No soaking and scrubbing the crock pot afterwards.

Shaun, that's a good idea, I'm going to try that! I've finally learned to actually LIKE oatmeal, but I don't like the instant stuff. Ugh.

Anyway, baked oatmeal. Here's a recipe I like, not too much sugar and substantial enough to keep you through the morning. It came from one of the girls' friends in a little town called Ravenna, about 35 miles south of me. It's where they have the local livestock sale, LOL, it's their claim to fame!

Michigan Fruit Baked Oatmeal

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup chunky applesauce
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Optional toppings: vanilla yogurt and additional dried cranberries and sliced almonds

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Transfer to a 3-cup baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with almonds.

Bake, uncovered, at 350ð for 45-50 minutes or until set. Serve with toppings.

2 servings.

Annie

Thanks! Good ideas to speed up the steel cut oat preparation.

Michigan Fruit Baked Oatmeal sounds great... exactly what I was looking for. And, Jessica, I was hoping to find a recipe that produced a firm oatmeal that could be sliced. I'm looking forward to trying them both.