Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal can oftentimes go wrong. It can be gluey and paste like, with little or no texture, taste or deliciousness. This dish is not one of those occasions. Rather than having to spend time coaxing the simple oat into something exquisite, in this instance the oven does all of the work for you, making it a perfect addition to any brunch menu.

I personally adore oatmeal, but only when it's really done right. And babysitting a pot of steel-cut oats -- as is my choice for a porridgey bowl -- is not my idea of a fun early morning activity, especially considering that I'm nowhere near a morning person. Just ask around. This dish gives one all of the best that oatmeal can be, with minimal fuss. While some bits become slightly more crisp, the whole mélange remains wonderfully moist.

Baked Oatmeal

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 chopped nuts
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 egg
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups seasonal fruit

Preheat the oven to 375º and lavishly butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the oats, half of the nuts, the sugar, the baking powder, the cinnamon and the salt. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla. Place an even layer of 1 1/2 cups of the fruit in the bottom of the baking dish, then cover with the oat mixture. Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the oats, being sure to saturate all of the grains. Scatter the top with the remaining fruit and nuts. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is goldeny brown and the mixture is set. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note: In this particular instance, I used some blueberries and walnuts that I had stashed in the freezer, but it is so delicious with just about anything. A drizzle of maple syrup helps it all go down a treat. This deceptively small dish is quite filling and serves more than one might think.