mmmmmm! Yummy BAKED oatmeal!!!

Even oatmeal haters will love it!

Prepared for us at the cabin on a lovely Fall Conference Sunday by Colorado friend, Yolanda Bryant

(And it's a cool recipe because you can prepare part of it the night before for a quick "put-together" the next morning)

YUMMY BAKED OATMEAL

(with healthy, enhanced ingredients in parentheses)

Combine the following dry ingredients the night before (should you choose to) and let sit out, covered, at room temperature.

     2 c. regular oatmeal  (Can add 4 T. flax meal or freshly ground flax seeds)

     1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

     1/2 tsp. salt

     1/3 c. chopped almonds

     1/3 c. chopped dried apricots (and/or any other dried fruit you like, i.e. craisens, dates, prunes, apples...)

Wet ingredients (which can also be combined the night before and refrigerated)

     1 1/2 milk (or soymilk, rice milk, or almond milk - increase to 1 3/4 c. if adding flax meal)

     2 large eggs

     1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar  (or 1/3 c. agave syrup)

     3 T. vegetable oil

     1/2 tsp. cinnamon

     1 fresh ripe pear (or apple or peach) - Add this at the last minute as you combine with oats

Preheat oven to 325.

Whisk all the above wetter ingredients together and combine with the oatmeal mixture.  Pour into an 8 x 8 buttered baking dish.  Bake until all the lliquid is absorbed & the top is a light golden brown (approx. 45 minutes).   Serve warm,  accompanied by fresh milk and additional fresh fruit if desired.  

It's not quite a coffee cake, but is chewy and crunchy and REALLY good and stays with you.