Baked oatmeal with apples and pears

I did warn you that once I got my hands on Super Natural Everyday that I would not be able to come up with my own ideas. Most of the things I have cooked over the past couple of weeks have been inspired by this cookbook. I decided to post this because this recipe has made me appreciate oatmeal. In the past I have only tried soggy, mushy instant oatmeal made with hot water; I detest soggy cereal of any sort. 

This oatmeal recipe is made with rolled oats (not the instant ones) and it is baked with a limiting amount of milk, so that the liquid is more or less absorbed. The result is a hearty, warm, sweet and satisfying dish that can be eaten as breakfast or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert (this is how I ate my left overs). You will have to pick up a copy of Heidi Swanson's book if you want to see how she likes to prepare her oatmeal. I made mine with apples and pears and sweetened it with honey (because I sweeten everything with honey - you can use sugar or maple syrup as well).

Baked oatmeal with apples and pears (serves 3 - 4)

Adapted from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

Fall seasonal - apples and pears

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats (not instant)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt

1 - 2 tbsp of honey (depending on how sweet your tooth is)

1 cup of milk

1 small egg or 1/2 a large egg lightly whisked

2 tbsp butter divided - melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 banana sliced into 1 cm pieces

1 small apple chopped

1 small pear chopped

Directions

1 - Preheat the oven to 375F, rack in the middle of the oven, and generously grease a 4" X 8" baking dish.

2 - In a bowl mix together the oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.

3 - In another bowl whisk together the honey, milk, egg, 1 tbsp of butter and vanilla.

4 - Layer banana slices on the bottom of the greased baking dish. Layer 2/3 of the apple and pears on top of the banana.

5 - Cover the fruit with the dry oat mixture.

6 - Evenly cover the oats with the milk mixture and gently shake to ensure the liquid passes through the oats.

7 - Top with the remainder of the apples and pears and brush apples with melted butter.

8 - Bake about 35 minutes until the apples are nicely browned.

9 - Remove and let cool - drizzle any remaining melted butter over top of the apples.