Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Recipe challenge, week forty (though it's like week 45 and I'm failing at this, but I have noticed that the last three recipes including this one have been pumpkin-based, so that's something...hashtag fall).

Do you have any idea how many recipe posts I've started and never finished?  Many drafts. I feel like someone has inserted some sort of drain in my creativity outlet and taken it all away.  I have an idea or a thought and then it's gone. Or I have NO ideas and thoughts but lots of time to cook. Or I have no time to cook and then no ideas or thoughts to accompany that time so I end up reading or doing Pilates or watching reruns while folding laundry while eating pancakes from a box for dinner.

It's for this reason why I both want to and have to climb into the recipe archives.  I want to share past recipes because they are recipes I STILL make all the time.  Those are the kinds of recipes we need: the dependable ones.  And sometimes this is just a necessity because I can't for the life of me think of something else to do with all the pumpkin I have in my refrigerator.

I first made pumpkin baked oatmeal in 2011 and I continue to make it every year.  I recommend it with maple syrup.  The butter-flavored kind.

But really, it's perfect for me to take to work and heat up for a snack during my planning period. It serves as a ready-made breakfast all week long. And it has chocolate chips in it.  Win-win-win.

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal 
makes an 8x8 pan
(here's the original link)

2 1/2 cups oats
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg OR pumpkin pie spice (or, if you're feeling crazy, both)
1 T. melted butter
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin 
1 cup milk
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 cup dried cranberries OR chocolate chips

*The original recipe included 3 T. brown sugar. I didn't include it this time and it was just as tasty.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, milk, and butter.  Add the oats, spices, and baking powder.  Stir in the cranberries or chocolate chips.
Pour into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  It's okay to start checking at the 20 minute mark though.  It's done when the middle springs back when lightly pressed. Store in an airtight container (in the fridge if you'd like to) for up to a week.

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Last chance to enter the Modern Alternative Mama giveaway!

More oatmeal...

Um, yeah.  I know.  Thanksgiving is over.  Christmas is upon us.  People still eat pumpkin-like stuff around Christmas right?

People like to eat healthy stuff year-round anyway, right?

I mean, they like to say they eat healthy stuff and take pride in the fact.  They don't necessarily enjoy the eating of the healthy food all of the time.  Pumpkin is VERY healthy.  Especially when there's not a lot of added sugar, as we tend to do so often when we're baking with pumpkin.

This is a perfect Christmas vacation kind of breakfast.  Especially if you have a house full of people.  

I love baked oatmeal.  And I opened a large can of pumpkin to make this ice cream cake.  Therefore, the rest of the pumpkin had to be frozen in Tupperware containers.  And it was just begging to be used.

I thought of cookies first, of course.  Then I thought waffles.  And remembered I had no waffle maker.  Pancakes?  On this particular day I had a stove that was out of commission.  So?  Baked oatmeal.

And I made it in the toaster oven.  I can do anything.

(I just realized that I began an awful lot of sentences in this post with "And".  I just got done teaching my class that you DO NOT, under any circumstances begin sentences with "And".  Interesting blog-writing doesn't always contain complete sentences.  It's all about context.  Children have to start somewhere.)

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
makes an 8x8 pan
Inspired by this recipe

2 1/2 cups oats
3 T. brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg OR pumpkin pie spice (or, if you're feeling crazy, both)
1 T. melted butter
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup milk
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 cup dried cranberries

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin, egg, vanilla, milk, and butter.  Add the oats, spices, and baking powder.  Stir in the cranberries.
Pour into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  It's okay to start checking at the 20 minute mark though.  It's done when the middle springs back when lightly pressed.

I drizzled some butter-flavor maple syrup over the top.  Why have I not used butter-
flavored syrup before?!

Shared at:
Friday Food
Coffee and Conversation Thursday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweet Treats Thursday
Shine on Friday
Strut Your Stuff Saturday
Seasonal Inspiration

Recipe Re-do: Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

This is a rather devious way to eat a cookie for breakfast.

Let's be clear.  I'm not against eating cookies for breakfast.  Heck, I'd probably eat candy corn for breakfast if it were readily available.  There was also a solid week where I ate Chicken in a Biscuit crackers with my coffee.

I'm odd.

I do not eat cookies for breakfast simply because there's no downhill from there.

I generally eat a healthy breakfast because that means I can eat whatever I want for the rest of the day.

Right?

No?

Well, this is still a healthy dessert and/or breakfast.

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal.

Shared at:
Strut Your Stuff Saturday
Sweets for Saturday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Momtrends Friday Food 
Melt in Your Mouth Monday 
Crazy Sweet Tuesday