This "hotdish oatmeal for breakfast"recipe comes from Ann Burckhardt (aka "The Hotdish Queen"), a born-and-bred Minnesotan who is the author of Hot Dish Heaven: Classic Casseroles from Midwest Kitchens. She was featured in the October 2008 issue of Midwest Living Magazine. *I have included directions in the recipe for optionally soaking the rolled oats overnight to neutralize the phytic acid.
This bowl of oatmeal looks plain jane, but it is anything but. A little twist packs a whole lot of flavor goodness. It is reminiscent of rice pudding. An optional Maple Crunch Topping seals the deal.
Baked Oatmeal
1 ¾ cups water (I use 2 c. milk for extra creaminess.)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten (I use 3 eggs to produce more custard... yum!)
½ cup ¼ cup brown sugar... just perfect
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt (I omit.)
Butter 1 ½-quart casserole. In medium saucepan, cook oats in water or milk until most of the water (or milk) is absorbed and the oats are tender, stirring occasionally. As some prefer to consume oatmeal without adding milk over top at serving time, I always stir in a little additional milk at end of cooking time to assure that the oatmeal maintains its creaminess. In a small bowl, whisk milk and eggs. In another small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir into oatmeal. Fold egg mixture into oatmeal mixture. Pour oatmeal mixture into casserole. Bake uncovered in 350° oven 30 to 40 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. To serve, top with dried cranberries, maple crunch topping (recipe follows), chopped apple, sliced bananas, sliced fresh strawberries, plump blueberries, diced fresh peaches... anything that's in season. Sprinkle with freshly ground flax seed. Serve with milk. Makes 4 to 6 servings. *To soak the oatmeal, mix together 1 cup water, 1 cup oats, and 2 tbsp buttermilk. Cover and let sit overnight on kitchen counter. In the morning, bring ¾ cup water (or 1 cup milk for extra creaminess) to boiling, then add soaked oatmeal mixture. Simmer covered for about 3 minutes. (Cooking time is reduced by half when the oatmeal is soaked overnight.) Follow the recipe for the remaining steps.
Maple Crunch Topping
¼ cup whole raw almonds, roughly chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp maple syrup (the real deal-not Aunt Jemima)
Heat oven to 375°. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and spread in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
