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

And Then There Was One

Over the course of one week, it seems most things have changed. First year of law school is over, it finally started to feel like summer, and lastly, Ian has left for the summer. The last change is the toughest, and the thought of baking for one sounds a little sad on top of dangerous to the waistline. Until now; Oatmeal Muffins from 101 Cookbooks. I love Heidi's recipes because they are light and healthy and this recipe is no different. I don't feel so bad having these around when their ingredients include yogurt, wheat flour and oats. They are incredibly delicious.

I love those recipes where every ingredient is readily available in your kitchen. This is an extremely rare scenario for me, but I am planning to keep the kitchen stocked for the summer of baking. Hopefully there won't be such a lag between posts, as seen in the past (whoopsie). The summer fruit that should be hitting the markets soon inspires numerous summer baking endeavors. Next up, popsicles and fudgesicles.

Recipe:
Crumble topping:
scant 3/4 cup / 3 oz / 85 g whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup / 1.5 oz / 45 g rolled oats
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g natural cane or brown sugar
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g unsalted butter, melted

Muffin batter:
1 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g rolled oats
3/4 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
7/8 cup / 7 oz / 200 g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g natural cane or brown sugar
1 1/2 cups / 12 oz / 350 ml plain yogurt
2 large eggs, whisked

Preheat oven to 350F / 180C. Butter one or two muffin pans generously. I didn't use paper liners, and I'm glad I didn't. Place oven racks in top third of oven.

Get your crumble topping for your muffins started first. Use a fork to combine the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Divide the mixture into three portions, and use your hands to form into three flat-ish patties. Place the patties in a bowl in the freezer for about ten minutes.

Now, onto the muffin batter. In a medium bowl combine the oats, flours, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Whisk in the yogurt, and then the eggs. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir just until combined. Do your best to avoid over mixing.

Pour the batter into the muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Pull the crumble from the freezer and break it up into small and medium pieces. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with crumble, place the muffins in the oven and bake 30 - 35 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool just a minute or so, then turn out onto a cooling rack - important!

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen muffins.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 35 min

A Cookie Staple

So, there are a few cookies out there that I could eat all the time round-the-clock. This goes for pizza as well. The best cookie ever invented is the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. There is something about the way the oats taste with the chocolate that is just undeniably good. Sure, some people put raisins in instead, but that is just wrong.

I found this recipe on the side of the oatmeal bag when rummaging around in the cupboards. I love thick rolled oats and these cookies do not disappoint. My policy is: the more oats the better. This recipe is great, too, because there is no flour. I have only seen this brand of oatmeal in the Northwest, but it can be purchased online. The recipe can also be found here. I would highly recommend adding in more oatmeal.

They don't look like much, but they taste great and are quick and easy to make.