Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

Single Serving:

• 1 egg yolk, or 2 Tbsp liquid egg product*
• 1/2 cup milk (or cream, for pure decadence)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or less)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional, adds sweetness without more sugar)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (and/or ginger, and maybe just a touch of nutmeg)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder (prevents the end result being too dense)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup large flake Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 1/4 cup fruit of choice – apple, banana, stone fruit, berries.  Fresh or frozen.  Small dice works best.  Firm fruit can be grated.
• Optional:  Dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, or chopped apricots, can be used in place of, or in addition to, fresh or frozen fruit.  If using only dried fruit, use the amount you think appropriate, something like a tablespoon or two.
• 2 tsp butter, melted and cooled
• Optional:  Nuts and/or seeds to compliment the fruit.  Ground flax seed meal gives a nutty taste without actual nuts.  Hemp hearts ditto.  Chia is good for you!

Big Batch (9 servings, baked in a 9 or 8-inch square pan:

• 2 large eggs or 1/2 cup liquid egg product*
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp cinnamon or other spices
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups large flake Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 2 cups fresh fruit or 1 cup chopped dried fruit
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• Optional nuts and/or seeds

*Leftover liquid egg product can be frozen.  1/4 cup = 1 large egg

Here’s a tip I learned from my mentor, Sabrina DelBen, a very talented Chef.  Oats, like nuts, really taste better toasted.  Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast them in a pre-heated 350°F oven until golden.  Keep an eye on them – they can go from “toasted” to “European brown” (ie. almost burned) pretty quickly.  Once they’re perfect, take them off the baking sheet (otherwise they’ll keep toasting) and let them cool before combining them with the rest of the ingredients.

If you want to toast a whole bunch of oats against future considerations, store the toasted oats in an air-tight bag in the freezer.  They’re more perishable once toasted.

For a single serving, if you’re using a firm, raw fruit like apple or nectarine, or if your banana is not fully ripe, you might want to jumpstart the cooking process in the microwave.  Combine the fruit, butter and brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl.  Cover and nuke for something between 1 ½ and 2 minutes, which will soften the fruit and get the bowl sizzling hot.  Let it cool a bit before going on, or use a second bowl.

Combine the egg(s), milk or cream, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder and salt (and the brown sugar, if you didn’t jump-start your fruit). Add the oats to the wet ingredients, stirring to completely coat the oats.

Combine the wet oat mixture with your fruit, jump-started or not. Don’t forget the melted butter – it’s an essential ingredient for flavor and texture.

You don’t need to jump-start the fruit for a big batch.  Just combine all ingredients in a bowl, adding the melted butter last.  Pour the batter into your greased baking dish.   I grated the apple for my big batch skin and all (extra fibre, good nutrition), and it cooked up just fine.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes for a single serving, or until puffed and set.  Serve warm.

If you’re feeding a crowd right away with your big batch, bake it up in little casseroles like the single servings.

If you’re making “planned-overs”, bake the 8 or 9-inch pan for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the oatmeal is puffed and firm in the centre.  Let it cool completely, and then cut it into single servings, wrapping each in plastic to freeze.    No need to thaw before reheating — a couple of minutes in the microwave should do the job.

If you really want to gild the lily, sauce each serving with stirred vanilla yogurt, or plain yogurt sweetened with a little brown sugar or maple syrup, and flavored with a dash of vanilla. Or just use plain yogurt. Or just pancake syrup. Or maybe a mess of heated berries, or a dollop of good jam.