Thanksgiving recipes: Oat-inspired side dishes

When most folks think of oatmeal, they think breakfast.

The pantry-staple grain has also made the obvious leap into mainstream “cozy-feeling” desserts such as apple cobbler and oatmeal raisin cookies.

But oatmeal can also be a healthy, filling ingredient in savory sides-- here are a couple of recipes to try out on family members and friends this Thanksgiving, courtesy of Samantha Stephens, chef and owner at New York City’s OatMeals oatmeal bar and Quaker’s Creative Oatmeal Officer.

Green Bean Casserole with Savory Oat Streusel

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed

Savory Oat Streusel

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup Quaker® Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, toasted
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup fried onions

Mushroom Sauce

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 pound button mushrooms, stems trimmed, quartered
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp Quaker® Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil green beans for 5 minutes. Drain beans, then plunge them into ice water to stop them from cooking. Drain again and set aside.
3. For the oat streusel, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add oats and panko. Sauté 2 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring constantly. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Mix the parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper in a small bowl, set aside. 
4. For the mushroom sauce, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot, salt and pepper, and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the oats and flour and stir until mushrooms are fully coated. Add the chicken broth, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring continuously. Add the heavy cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add the green beans to the mushroom sauce and stir until well coated. Transfer to a casserole dish. Top with the toasted oats, panko, and Parmesan. Bake until the mushroom sauce is bubbly and the oats are golden, about 20 minutes. Top with the fried onions and bake another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 6-8.

Butternut Squash and Oat Stuffing with Apples and Hazelnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quaker® Steel Cut Oatmeal, rinsed well
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 large apples, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 2 garlic gloves, minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup fresh or dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt, pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pot bring chicken stock to a boil. Add oats, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Cover pot and remove from heat. 
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat apples with lemon juice so they don't turn brown. Toss the squash, apples, shallot, and garlic in a large bowl with olive oil, maple syrup, and a bit of salt and pepper. Roast on a greased sheet pan for 25-35 minutes, until soft and browned, turning halfway through. 
3. Combine the oats with the roasted squash mixture in a large bowl. Fold in hazelnuts, cranberries, and apple cider vinegar. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Serve immediately or can be refrigerated overnight and reheated. 

Serves 4-6.