Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Banana Baked Oatmeal

"Crazy" has been the word of the week in our house. Not that our lives are typically slow-moving, relaxing or boring. But, recent days have been particularly busy and a bit chaotic. Zayne ended wrestling season this week with a team party and a youth wrestling tournament at which the high school boys worked at all day today. He, also, had a first date. {Dying.} Allanah had her final Snowball Dance this weekend. Our van was stolen from my husband's workplace {and thankfully, recovered a few days later}. All three kids are in the same play production, which means practices galore these days. And, I must mention that the kiddos and I have all been battling some type of flu for the past few weeks at varying times.

Having grab-and-go meals and snacks are a must for me these days. Since we are a huge oatmeal-loving family, baked oatmeal is a great option for us. It reheats pretty well and provides major fuel to power us through our day.

The combo of chocolate, peanut butter and banana here is pretty awesome. All three are incorporated into the oatmeal itself, then it gets topped with fresh bananas, chocolate chips and a peanut butter/honey dollop at time of service. I do have a couple of kids who prefer this without the toppings, however. They like a slice of this as-is to throw on a napkin on their way out the door.

Think of this as a cross between a bowl of traditional oatmeal AND oatmeal cookies ... just maybe not quite as sweet as normal cookies. Plan to adjust how you serve and top this based upon your family's preferences. My youngest asked to drizzle her slice with caramel sauce. {Quite the treat.} It is pretty moist when it is first baked. But, we actually prefer it cooled, the pieces individually wrapped up, stored in the fridge and reheated in the oven the next day. It becomes a little drier and more bar-like.

Serves 6 - 8.

Baked Apple, Chocolate & Almond Oatmeal

I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm not gonna sugarcoat anything. I am simply going to get straight to the point and tell ya like it is. You need this oatmeal in your life. Seriously. Like, if I could convince you to make only one recipe from my blog, I think it would be this one. Baked oatmeal - done right - can be life-changing.

It may not be fancy. It may not look like much. Heck, I'm sure you're thinking that I am crazy getting all coo-coo over oatmeal. But, there are just so many reasons why baked oatmeal rules. It's an incredibly, insanely inexpensive recipe to make. It is healthful and filling. It's an awesome dish to feed a crowd if you happen to have guests in town or friends over for brunch. The possibilities to flavor it and change it up to suit your fancy are endless. If you're making it for only one or two people initially, you'll have leftovers (which means you can have breakfast ready to pop in the microwave throughout the week). And, most importantly - it takes almost ZERO time of hands-on work.

Have I convinced you yet?

This particular recipe calls for steel cut oats, so make sure you are not using rolled oats. The recipe requires that you soak the oats overnight in water so that they cook up quicker in the morning. So, don't forget that step. And, I really encourage you to try using a dark chocolate infused with chili (THIS is my favorite) for this recipe. Any type of chocolate should work (probably even chocolate chips), but there's just something magical about the tiny bit of heat that comes from using spicy chocolate in this recipe.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal with Peaches

I adore recipes that allow me to assemble the ingredients well in advance so that there is little work at meal-time. This baked oatmeal is one of those fabulous recipes. A hearty, healthful breakfast is just a few simple steps away. Assemble the oatmeal at night prior to heading to bed. Toss some fresh fruit into the mix in the morning. Pop the dish into the oven. Brew up some coffee. And, grab some spoons!

 

Using steel cut oats is key here (they are easily found in the cereal/oats section of most supermarkets these days). They hold up well in the fridge overnight amidst the creamy, perfectly-spiced liquid and have such an awesome texture once baked up in this sensational breakfast dish.

Fresh peaches are used here, but this baked oatmeal works great with any fruit that I've tried (blueberries are another favorite add-in for us in this recipe). And, frankly, I think this recipe would work even if you didn't add any fruit into the mixture.

I bring together a little shredded coconut, chopped nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and maple syrup to really enhance the oats. I, also, mix a little quinoa in with the steel cut oats, but it can be omitted if you're not a fan or don't have it on hand. (Just replace the quinoa with additional oats.)

To serve, scoop some of the baked oatmeal into a bowl, top with a sprinkling of brown sugar (or a drizzle of honey) and pour on a little milk or cream right before digging in.

Serves 4 - 6.

Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal "Muffins"

Hello. Remember me?

I have been on a hiatus (of sorts) from blogging any new recipes for a couple of months while we're remodeling a house that we just took possession of in July. (Are we close to completion? Thank you for asking. But, nope. Not even close. We're getting there, though.) We've been up to our eyeballs in cabinet staining, drywall work, mudding and such ... all those super-de-duper fun things that come along with most remodeling adventures.

I have barely been cooking or baking from-scratch recently. (I know - gasp.) Our new house is just a few miles from where we currently live and we're not moving in until most of the renovations are done. So, we've been at the new house working during our "free" time which has meant that my hubby and kids have been mostly living on take-out, pizza, granola bars and string cheese. (I wish I were kidding.)

This past weekend, however, I couldn't take it anymore. I was dying to get into the kitchen - even if it meant giving up a couple hours of working at the new place. So, I made a big pot of my Cheesy Potato Soup and kept it warm in my slow cooker to transport over to the new house. (Nothing says gourmet, by the way, like soup served in Styrofoam cups and eaten with plastic spoons.)

And, these scrumptious "muffins" were made ... and quickly devoured.

These are not quite actually muffins in the true sense of the word - they are chewier and a bit denser than traditional banana muffins. (Having no flour in the mix makes them a little different than muffins, as well.) Regardless, they are darn yummy and are great on the go! They actually remind me of Quaker Oatmeal To Go Breakfast Bars - if you've ever had those.

Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate, peanut butter and banana? They're made with stuff most of us usually have on hand and they're ready to pop in the oven in just a matter of minutes. They'll carry you through the morning and are, also, great for after school snacking.

"Busy Mornings" Baked Oatmeal

 

I am not a morning person.

But, I have to be for the sake of getting my three children ready for school every weekday morning.

My day begins around 5:30 a.m. and things are usually pretty hectic until the bus pulls up around seven.  Having breakfast options that are quick and easy makes our mornings go a lot smoother.  These are perfect to have on hand throughout the week for everyone to grab a quick breakfast.  I like that they are full of healthy ingredients and are not overly sweet.

This recipe is pretty versatile.  Omit the nuts.  Mix up the types of dried fruits you use.  Add in whatever seeds you like.  (Just try to stick with the basic ratios provided.)

Serve warm or room-temperature for a grab-on-the-go breakfast or snack.  Or, these can be served hot with milk poured over and a little drizzle of honey in a bowl (and eaten with a spoon).

These keep for up to a week, so they are ideal for busy weekday mornings.

Yields 9 servings.