How to Make Apple Pie Oatmeal: 11 Steps

Apple pie oatmeal is fast, easy, hot, filling, delicious and even healthy. In fact, if you have the ingredients, it will take you longer to read about it than to make it, and you'll use no more dishes than it takes to eat the oatmeal. What's not to like?
All the measurements here are guidelines to get you started. This comes out perfectly well with every ingredient measured by eye or to taste.
STEPS

1

POUR AS MUCH OATMEAL AS YOU\'D LIKE INTO A MICROWAVE-SAFE BOWL. If you're not sure how much that is, start with about half a cup.

2

POUR WATER INTO THE BOWL SO THAT IT GENEROUSLY COVERS THE OATMEAL. If you're measuring, use as much water as oatmeal, half a cup.

3

ADD A PINCH OF SALT. It won't make your oatmeal taste salty, don't worry. It will enhance the taste of the whole thing and make it less bland.

4

MICROWAVE THE OATMEAL AND WATER RIGHT THERE IN THE BOWL FOR A MINUTE OR TWO. The oatmeal will absorb most or all of the water and puff up.

5

SPOON ABOUT A TABLESPOON OF BROWN SUGAR OVER THE OATMEAL. You can use the same spoon that you'll use to eat the oatmeal. If you're using sweetened applesauce, use less sugar.

6

PUT APPLESAUCE ON THE OATMEAL, STILL USING THAT SAME SPOON. If you'd like to measure, aim for a quarter cup. By eye, it should look like a thick layer of frosting.

7

SPRINKLE ON SOME CINNAMON.

8

IF YOU HAVE THEM AND LIKE THEM, ADD TINY SPRINKLES OF GROUND NUTMEG, CLOVES, AND ALLSPICE.

9

IF YOU HAVE IT, ADD ABOUT A TABLESPOON OF ORANGE JUICE OR DRIED ORANGE PEEL.

10

MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER, MICROWAVE IT FOR A FEW MORE SECONDS IF YOU\'D LIKE IT ANY WARMER, AND ENJOY.

11

FINISHED.
TIPS
For creamier oatmeal, try milk instead of water; whole milk gives an even thicker texture than skim, but even skim milk will add a very nice texture.
With dried apples or prepackaged apple sauce, this can be mixed in advance for a very portable meal or even backpacking food, provided you have a source of hot water wherever you're going. If using hot water, just pour it in and let it sit for awhile.
If you like mushy oatmeal, you could use the instant kind (unflavored) or boil it in a pot like the package probably says, but microwaving non-instant rolled oats this way leaves it with a pleasant texture and saves you cleaning a pot.
If you want the creamy texture, but don't want to take on the calories in a cup of milk, try boiling the oatmeal as stated above and then stir in 2 tablespoons of milk before you add the sugar and apple sauce. Tastes just like the milk option.
Try cutting up some washed strawberries and bananas. Mix these into the oatmeal with walnuts.
If you spoon the brown sugar, then the applesauce, the only dirty dishes are the bowl and spoon you use to eat this meal.
WARNINGS
Don't microwave the spoon.
THINGS YOU\'LL NEED
Rolled oatmeal, preferably non-instant
Water
Applesauce
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Optional nutmeg, cloves, allspice, orange juice
One microwave-safe bowl
One spoon