It's a good thing I'm a morning person, since mornings at our house got a lot crazier last week. My husband started an 8:00 class, which means all of us have to be out of the house by 6:40 AM. I'm already remembering forlornly the days a few weeks ago when I could just get up and go without worrying about anyone else in the family. Such is life, right? I'm starting to notice that things never slow down. They just seem to speed up. 

I usually prefer plain oatmeal or cold cereal in the morning for breakfast because I never feel like putting the time in to mix things up and bake. It  seems like such a hassle when there is Life cereal in the pantry. I love oatmeal, though, and this recipe is perfect for busy mornings because it is made up the night before so all you need to do the next day is to throw it in the oven and bake it. Even with our new hectic schedule that is something that I can handle. It's healthy but still delicious, and it's easily changed to use whatever fruit is in season or on sale. Since I'm one of those people who likes my oatmeal thick instead of runny, I love that this bakes up moist but still dense enough to slice. Topping a warm slice with some vanilla yogurt and more fresh fruit makes mornings something to look forward to. Even with a crazy schedule

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit and Yogurt

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 07/15/2013

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fat free or reduced fat plain yogurt (Or use vanilla yogurt and reduce vanilla extract to 1/4 teaspoon)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cup old fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup fresh or dried fruit
• vanilla yogurt and fruit for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Spray a 8 or 9 inch square glass pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine milk, sugar, plain yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well and fold in fruit.
3. Spread the mixture in the bottom of prepared baking pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm topped with yogurt and fruit.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min

Recipe Source: Carmen Rivers via Penzey's spice catalog

Posted in: Breakfast