Snow Day + Baked Oatmeal

There is nothing I love more than being home with my little family while it is snowing outside. We had our first real snow today and I thought it appropriate to make something warm and comforting. The obvious choice here was baked oatmeal. This is becoming a weekend favorite for us, and it indulges my love of oatmeal (seen here, here and here).

Baked oatmeal is so simple, and a healthy brunch item! How have I gone on for so long without this? The recipe comes from 101 Cookbooks, but I found it on Lottie + Doof and I made slight tweaks.

Baked Oatmeal

• 2 cups / 7 oz / 200 g rolled oats
• 1/2 cup / 2 oz / 60 g walnut pieces, toasted (see page 219) and chopped
• 1/3 cup / 2 oz / 60 g natural cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
• 11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• 2 cups lowfat milk / 475 ml
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch / 1cm pieces
• 11/2 cups / 6.5 oz / 185 g huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries

Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C with a rack in the top third of the oven. Generously butter the inside of an 8-inch / 20cm square baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, half the walnuts, the sugar, if using, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, if using, the milk, egg, half of the butter, and the vanilla.

Arrange the bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Gently give the baking dish a couple thwacks on the countertop to make sure the milk moves through the oats. Scatter the remaining berries and remaining walnuts across the top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Serves 6 generously, or 12 as part of a larger brunch spread