After a rainy walk filled with squirrel sightings, but NO chasing, we came home and made breakfast. I'm an oat eater, granola in the summer and baked oatmeal in the colder weather. And believe me , that colder weather has arrived. I've been fiddling around with this recipe for years and am happy with this latest version.
I use 1 cup of uncooked quick oats and 1 cup of mixed grain cereal, both from Trades Joe's. I add 1/3 cup of dried fruit, this time raisins, sometimes, cranberries, often a mix of dried berries, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, a 1/2 a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of brown sugar but this is too sweet for me. Yesterday I used a few maple sugar candies a friend had brought us from Canada, Last week I used honey. I melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave and if using honey melt it along with butter. In another bowl I have a beaten egg to which I add 1 and1/2 cups of skim milk, and a 1/2 cup of low fat french vanilla yogurt, you could also use applesauce in lieu of yogurt. When butter has cooled down I add it to liquid ingredients, stir and then add this to oat mixture.
I pour into an 8" square baking dish, coated with oil or butter. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. I cut this up into 9 servings. GG eats one in the morning with a splash of milk and a sprinkle of brown sugar, heated in the microwave. I pack mine up and take it to work to be eaten with my work amigas and the Starbucks latte that awaits me every morning on the work table.
Cooking together is such a bonding experience that the Lab and I went on from there to make a delicious black bean soup, but that's a story for another day.
Suffice it to day, the house was filled with delicious smells all day, the dryer was finally fixed and now I can stop showing up at my neighbor's houses bearing flowers or bowls of turkey noodle soup, and wet laundry.
Hmm, surprised you're having problems with Sears. My Kenmore washer and dryer have been ticking along for many carefree years now (and tomorrow they will blow up. . .).
ReplyDeleteAm anxiously waiting for the Lab's blog. I'll add it along with the Gang of Four's blog in Newcastle, UK and Estorbo's on my list.
Your baked oatmeal sounds interesting - may try it as a break from Kroger's oat bran (also with brown sugar and raisins). Love the warm feel in my stomach when I eat it.
ReplyDeleteI bet your neighbour is desperately disappointed the dryer is fixed! Next time you can come use mine!
ReplyDeleteKaren, the trick seems to be not to replace your old appliances. My washer and dryer are both under 2 years old and I have been waiting for repairmen since October 24th to get them both in working order. oOe man told me the new ones are not made to last, he said to expect about 7 yrs. before they will need to be replaced! Arrgh.
ReplyDeleteWebb, it is so delicious and warming on a cold morning. you can always just use 2 cups of oats if you prefer.
Julienne, You would think so right? Thank you, next time I'm flying right over. How much do you think wet laundry will cost in baggage charges?
hi jane,
ReplyDeletemay i just say...what in the world would we all do w/o trader joes? omg your granola sounds so good. i made oatmeal this morning as it is finally cold in southern california. yeah!
~janet
ps ~ i was thinking today while running errands that the lab needs an agent.
I'm sold. I'm making your baked oatmeal asap.
ReplyDeleteThe baked oatmeal sounds interesting, I have never heard of it baked before except as flapjacks but they don't have baking powder. So I'm imagining fluffy flapjacks and struggling! Will have to try out of curiosity! And I'm also guessing trader joes is like our m and s -part nice food part department store? And so the transatlantic education goes on!
ReplyDeleteJanet, an agent for the Lab, what a good idea. Now if we only knew someone in SoCal. Wait, could it be true? Are you offering?
ReplyDeleteDenise, Good. let me know what you think.
Belinda, Wish I could find a good analogy for the baked oatmeal, but it's too early in the morning. Perhaps you'll give it a whirl and then you can tell me.
Trader Joes, Almost personal market with well priced, carefully chosen items mostly organic. Good value on nuts, cheeses, dried fruit, coffees, teas, dairy products, etc. i tend to buy my meats at Whole Foods, much more $$$ but beautiful and local when possible meats and poultry. Can anybody explain better?
hmmmm, sounds good!
ReplyDeletexo Alison
I think I'm going to try that oatmeal recipe! Sounds wonderful. As for Trader Joes' (seems like we're all talking about Trader Joe's the last few days!) - it is one of my favorites places to shop, even though I have to drive two hours to get there. I think you got it just right when you said "almost personal market". It has that friendly, little market on the corner vibe that makes it fun to shop there. And of course I love all the organic and vegetarian choices they offer. And the prices are so good, especially compared to the little local organic/health food store we have here in town - which I love, but their prices are sometimes out of reach for me. Karin
ReplyDeleteFlossie says: About time too! And can she do a guest post some time, please?
ReplyDeleteHi Jane,
ReplyDeleteI am glad your dryer is fixed at last. I always have the same problem with deliveries. I often seem to be the last one on the list!!
Never made baked oatmeal before, never eaten dried oatmeal with milk either, but when you like it, it must be delicious :-)!
Lieve groet, Madelief
Bonjour Jane,
ReplyDeleteThe recipe looks fantastic, gonna put this in the 'file' and and try to find the time...uh hm.
You and the lab make a good team! Hope all has been well for you in spite of the dryer problems.
WIshing you a good evening,
Mimi
Alison, Baking this would be a good and tasty study break.
ReplyDeleteKarin, That's right, turn on the oven and get your house warm!
Rachel and Flossie, For sure! And Flossie, we're waiting for your computer break out! Soon.
Madelief, How do you eat oatmeal? Now I'll have to google breakfast grains in Holland or maybe you can explain. You look too glam for oatmeal...
Bonjour bonjour. Please, put a little ooh la la in the recipe and let me know how it comes out. maybe sweeten with macaroons.
Oats are us! I am right with you in the world of granola/porridge...can you guess which one we are veering towards at the moment! Tee hee.
ReplyDeleteHope your parts have been sorted! Hope my parts get sorted soon too! Although the roads where we live are impassable so I am probably being way too optimistic!
Sarah x
It is in the oven, smells good. Still freezing outside, got the kids to school and anticipating my yummy, peaceful moment with coffee and the baked oat number. I added some seeds, chopped prunes and apricots to give my veggie daughter some extra iron. We'll see/taste how it goes! x
ReplyDeleteOK, I'm now so excited to have discovered a new and delicious way to scoff carbs at breakfast!! It is delish - still warm, slightly wobbly in the middle and crispy on top, never had anything remotely resembling this before -did you make it up or is it a well known thing in the US? LOVE IT - thank you, will be permanently on the Norrington winter breakfast menu! (And thereby shall introduce it to the UK -whoop whoop!)
ReplyDeleteSarah Jane, Impassable roads are almost too much to contemplate. Thank God you still have your computer connection.
ReplyDeleteBelinda, Wow your description is so good, I was almost disappointed when I had my breakfast. Yours sounds yummier.
I discovered it in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. So I relate it to the Pennsylvania Dutch/Mennonite communities there. It took me ages to find a recipe and then ages to get it to this point. But it allows such a variety of ingredients, it's hard to mess up.
Baked oatmeal, the new dish of the kingdom!
Goodness, you're all different. I do like the Reubens a la Cath Kidston new look, and particularly the vertical type. Very stylish indeed in a bright young eccentric way.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do like that red ribbon.
ReplyDeletewe should be neighbors!!
ReplyDeleteyummo.
and if only my shit-zu would stop......
hugs xxx
Just pulled it from the oven. It smells absolutely heavenly in here! I think I'll have to take up doing something with fresh ground cinnamon and nutmeg every morning.
ReplyDeleteI'm still fiddling. I made a new version this morning. It's cooling now. Today I used pepitas, coconut, sliced bananas, some extra dark chocolate chunks, fresh ground cinnamon and nutmeg, and a few sprinkles of grey salt (totally forgot the baking powder). Perhaps more dessert than breakfast... It sure smells good.
ReplyDelete