Blessed be friends with a sharing spirit.
Because of this blog, I’m constantly showered with recipes, stories, questions, and bacon (an entire category in itself). It’s no surprise that’s where some of JWJ’s best recipes got their start. I tweak them here and there, to accommodate my tastes and my pantry, but it’s unlikely they would have happened at all without your help. So KEEP IT COMING! I love it.
Some of my all-star ‘sharers’ include Lynn (Crazy Lime Chicken, a family fave), Shirl (Green Chili Enchilada Bake, very popular with Pinners), numerous friends who send me bacon bouquets, recipes, and clever memes, and most recently, Judy who sent me a recipe for baked oatmeal hoisted on her by Sheila when she mentioned she won’t eat oatmeal. She might have to change her mind now 🙂
Oatmeal is already one of the most flexible grains around. You can eat as cereal, bake cookies and muffins with it, and even mix it into meatloaf (my mum’s trick). And now this. Baked oatmeal. It’s totally different from muffins, breads, and cookies because there is no flour in it. You know what that means. My gluten-free pals can enjoy this recipe as well. It’s lightly sweet, filling, and full of good stuff like fiber, phosphorus, and manganese.
Even better, it’s completely up to you what you put in this. Any sort of dried fruit will do (plums, cherries, or cranberries?) Any sort of nut will do (almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts?). Any type of sweetener will do (molasses, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, agave nectar?) Make it yours.
There’s one more utterly beautiful thing about this recipe that I never in a million years saw coming until it hit me. In the mouth.
You can SKIP THE BAKING PART AND JUST EAT IT.
No joke, it tastes exactly like the awesome muesli I enjoyed every morning on our trip to Puerto Rico last year. The milk softens the oats, the apples sweeten them, and the nuts and cranberries make them delish! It barely made it into the oven.
But bake it if you want. It’s way less messy that way when serve it up on plates.
Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal
Serves 6
Prep time: 10 minutes Bake time: 45 minutes
2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned)
2 cups non-fat milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large firm apple (Mac or Gala or Braeburn), unpeeled, grated
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 1.5 or 2 quart baking dish with spray oil. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Turn into the prepared baking dish. Baked, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes. The top will be dry and spring back when lightly pressed. Cut into 6 wedges and serve warm.
Making this in your honor this weekend – wish me luck!!
I know this recipe is an oldie, but I’m making it for the first time this weekend, as we will have a gluten-free guest!! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Good luck! Thanks for trusting me with a new recipe for a guest 🙂
This looks awesome! I’ve been thinking about baked oatmeal lately. 🙂 I’ll have to give it a try.
The post is barely a week old and already 3 readers have made it and loved it. It’s a no-fail!
Had this at Jen Sullivan’s house yesterday, it was delicious! Can’t wait to make it myself.
Fab! I heard she made it – will send her a thanks 🙂
Love it! Substituted with almond milk, baked it at 375,yum!
Fantastic! Love almond milk.
Hi Julie,
I’m catching up on some of your recent recipes and there are so many that look good but this one seems so interesting… Never would have thought of baking oatmeal, I’m going to make this right away!! Thanks for all the great ideas!
You’re so sweet 🙂 Thanks so much and definitely give this one a try. A real winner. Already a couple of friends have given it the thumbs up!
I always wanted to like oatmeal, but couldn’t get over the “meh, it’s oatmeal” taste/texture. Well, I made this yesterday as a snack and it’s yummy. Baking it really made a difference for me. I saved some overnight & reheated a slice in the microwave with a little extra milk for breakfast this morning. It was still great! (& who doesn’t like a little warm milk on a cold morning?) So, now I know that I can throw it together in an afternoon and have a yummy & filling breakfast for a few days.
That’s great, Buffy! I think this recipe could convert many an oatmeal-avoider. Don’t you?
Sounds delicious! I eat oatmeal everyday and typically prepare it the same way, so it can definitely get boring. This recipe seems like an easy way to spice up the way that I eat oatmeal! And the fact that you can pretty much throw in whatever you have around makes it even better!
Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment. I agree oatmeal is completely versatile 🙂