Amazing Apple Oatmeal

So I looooooove oatmeal cuz it’s good for you with protein, reducing cholesterol, whole grain fiber goodness.  This was awesome.   But that’s what I think every time I try a new baked oatmeal recipe.  Ha ha.  Perfect for Fall.  I love the creaminess and it tastes like baked oatmeal, HOWEVER, due to the addition of another egg it tastes like … get this… bread pudding.  No joke!  It really does.  Not as sweet, but oh well.  That’s okay.

I tried to speed the baking process on this recipe because most baked oatmeal takes 30-35 minutes.  This one took 50 minutes.  I’m sorry.  It really is worth it though and a cinch to throw together.   In my attempt to cook this faster I baked it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes and it was still really soupy.  So, I kicked it down to 325 degrees for another 20 minutes and it was done.

**Bake at the said temp: 325 degrees or the bottom may get brown and filmy.  Do not make this the night before!!!  I did this and it is no where near as good.  Pretty bad actually.  But made the day of had great results.

Amazing Apple Oatmeal
yield 6 servings

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup of nuts and dried fruit, optional  (I didn’t use, but would be yummy too)
2 cups milk (I used skim)
3 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar (I used slightly less than 1/3 cup honey and a few tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 granny smith apples, diced (or use macintosh or something that’ll not go mushy while baking)

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease or spray a 2 and 1/2 qt. dish or 8×8 or 9×9 pan.  (I like my round corningware… no hot corners).
2.  In a great big bowl mix the dry stuff:  oats, baking powder, salt cinnamon and optional fruit and nuts.
3.  Add the wet stuff to the big bowl of dry stuff:  milk, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.  Mix it all up.  Put it in the pan.
4.  Dump your apples on top and get them a little wet by gently stirring into the mixture.  They’ll float to the top.
5.  Bake for 50-55 minutes

Recipe adapted from Traderjoes.com