I have something a little different for you today! I have been working on a new post, but it has been slow in coming together for me; so, I'm switching gears for now and sharing a favorite recipe of ours.
Baked Oatmeal is a Saturday morning staple in our house. Usually we eat around mid-morning. It is a very filling dish, so I typically skip lunch when we have it (though PJ and the kids like to have a light lunch/snack early in the afternoon, too).
Baked Oatmeal is very well-known in the area where I grew up, but not as well-known where I live now. It is definitely a comfort food (ALL the carbs, lol). I've introduced several friends to it, and it's always been well received. If you search online, you will find many variations of the recipe. Mine is pretty traditional. One of the best things about it is that it is totally customizable. The recipe is a great base, and it tastes wonderful plain (my mother-in-law's favorite way to eat it), but you can also add all kinds of things to make it your own. My kids love to add mini chocolate chips after it is baked. My dad eats it with milk. My mom prefers to mix in nuts and dried fruit. I make a version of it that has a layer of strawberry rhubarb sauce (similar to the filling you would find in a crisp or a pie) baked on the bottom. I also love to add fresh fruit (berries and peaches are my favorites). PJ dresses his up with peanut butter and chocolate chips. You can put your additions in before you bake it, or after. I normally make it plain and have mix-ins available so everyone can have it to their own tastes. Sometimes I change it up, but the rest of the family doesn't really like when I mess with their normal routine. 😂
My recipe comes from my mom. I've only made one small change from the original she wrote down for me. It comes together quickly and uses a minimum of kitchen equipment (not much clean-up!). The recipe below makes a 9x13 pan, though it can be easily cut in half and put in an 8x8 pan. I don't know how many people it should serve... but I can tell you that our family of six cleans up a 9x13 pan in one sitting!
Baked Oatmeal
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. butter, melted
Optional mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, fresh or dried fruit, nut butters, etc.)
Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (I like to mix everything with a fork, but you can use whatever you like). Add milk, vanilla, eggs, and butter. Mix well. Spread into a greased 9x13" baking dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (or until edges are golden brown). Serve warm.
*Add mix-ins before or after baking, as desired.
*Baked Oatmeal also reheats very well if you happen to have any leftovers. 😉
Enjoy! If you make it, drop a comment below and tell me what you think. If you think I should include more recipes here on the blog, let me know that, too!
