yumminess

Weekday breakfasts around here can be monotonous.  

Cereal. Yogurt. Bananas. Waffles.

So I was really excited when I came across a delicious-looking recipe over on Susie Davis' blog last week.

Even happier when I discovered this past Monday that it was delicious-tasting as well.  The kids devoured it...and I enjoyed the leftovers yesterday & today, which were surprisingly good reheated in the microwave!

I made a few tweaks to the original recipe and am very happy about the results! The steel-cup oatmeal gives it a nutty texture and flavor...and I used just a small sprinkle of chocolate chips to avoid it being too much of dessert-for-breakfast. (Not that there's anything remotely wrong with that idea!)  I also baked mine in a pan, for safety reasons...I love the look of the individual serving dishes that Susie made...but I know three pairs of little hands that would try to hold those fresh-from-the-oven bowls!  

(And just so you know, the banana looks extra brown...because of the chocolate chips melted on top. :)

Fruit Baked Oatmeal

1.5 cups oatmeal (NOT instant or quick-cooking; you want the rolled oats)

1 cup steel-cut oatmeal

1/2 cup brown sugar (I used a little bit less)

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

dash of salt

1.5 cups milk

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. butter, melted (plus more for greasing)

handful of strawberries (or other berry), sliced thin

1 banana, sliced

small handful of miniature chocolate chips

milk or cream to top

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x8" square baking dish.

2.  In a small mixing bowl, combine oatmeal, steel-cut oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla.  Add the oatmeal mix and stir to combine.

4.  Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Place half of the strawberries and bananas on top of mixture.  With a spoon, gently press the fruit into the oatmeal until mostly submerged.  Top with the remaining slices of fruit and sprinkle lightly with chocolate chips.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  

5.  Serve oatmeal, pouring a tiny bit of milk or cream over it.  Enjoy it warm!

(I found that probably 23 minutes would have been perfect for my oven...20 was too few...25 was just a tad bit too much.)

Let me know what fruit you would add to yours! I think nuts would be a great addition too!