Baked Oatmeal

Today in the kitchen, we’re making Baked Oatmeal. This is an easy recipe to modify to your family’s tastes and to the ingredients you might have on hand. It’s warm and filling and smells great as it’s baking. Also, you can make it ahead of time and reheat it for breakfast, or even freeze individual breakfast portions.

Here are the recipe and instructions. But feel free to be creative with your add-ins!

Baked Oatmeal

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Next, in a large bowl, mix together:

• 3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (rolled oats)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (you can add more if you like, but I don’t like too much sugar)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Then, in another bowl, whisk together:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Then stir in:

• 3/4 cup dried tart cherries (or dried cranberries or raisins)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Spread into a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray and then bake for 35-40 minutes.

We like to eat ours warm with milk on it. However, leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen and then reheated when you want them.

To keep this recipe low in cost, I try to get good deals on the ingredients. For example, I buy oatmeal when it goes on sale. I also buy a large container of cinnamon and large bags of nuts at Sam’s Club for a good price. I purchase my coconut in the bulk section of our Natural Grocer’s store.

The dried fruit and nuts are the most expensive ingredients, so If I do not have dried fruit or nuts, I leave them out. Or if I’m running low, I add less of them. However, it is still a yummy breakfast!

Baked oatmeal is often part of my breakfast meal plan. Things that can be made ahead and quickly reheated can help save you time and money in the kitchen!