I’m sure you’ve noticed that this winter has no interest in
ending. My part of the world hasn’t had quite the inundation of snow that the
East Coast has endured, but the cold cold COLD seems to have settled into my
bones and taken up long-term residence. A few shakings from a box of cereal
served with cold milk just isn’t going to get me going in the morning, I’m
afraid. I was thinking fondly, instead, of this delicious baked oatmeal from
back in apple season. I make breakfast (for around 100 people) at work and one
of our occasional hot cereals on the winter menu is a similar baked oatmeal
without the apples. I decided to see if I could combine the two ideas and make
something warm and hearty for a weekend breakfast.
This recipe with raisins and walnuts is really a simplification
of the version with apples, since it’s pared down to just the oatmeal, nuts and
dried fruit. I used the same proportion of oatmeal, eggs and milk, and just
added extra raisins and walnuts to take the place of the apples and dried
cranberries. I also increased the cinnamon (and left out the nutmeg) and added
a bit of additional sweetener in the form of maple syrup.
The resulting warm and comforting breakfast dish is still
not very sweet, so if you like it sweeter, you could serve it with maple syrup.
I stole another idea from the work recipe and served mine with warm milk poured
over it, which is a very fine addition. The baked oatmeal has a texture of more
like a slightly moist and crumbly cake than a bowl of oatmeal, so the additional
liquid is nice. I’m sure the baked oatmeal with apples would also be
well-accompanied by warm milk.
This recipe makes a whole 8-inch square pan of baked
oatmeal, so it will serve me warm and cozy breakfasts for a few days (it heats
up well in the microwave). I certainly hope that a little warmth from the inside
does some good in getting through this tough winter in one piece rather than
shattering into many. Keep warm, friends!
Cinnamon Raisin
Baked Oatmeal
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup chopped walnuts
¾ cup raisins
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
warm milk for serving if desired
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish
with cooking spray or grease as desired.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, salt,
walnuts, and raisins. Toss together to combine.
3. In a medium-size bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the
milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla and whisk together until smooth. Whisk
in the cinnamon.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the oat mixture and stir to
combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake at 325 F for 35-40 minutes or firm and the top is
brown. Serve with warm milk if desired. (I recommend!)
Makes 6-8 servings.
Another recipe like this one: Apple Baked Oatmeal with Walnuts and Cranberries
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