Baked Oatmeal

This is a great food to make ahead of time for a quick and healthy breakfast, or to take on-the-go. It also keeps in the refrigerator and can easily be reheated in the microwave with some milk.

This recipe was originally featured in "Better Homes and Gardens" and then posted by Carroll Pellegrinelli on About.com. I will post it as it was, as well as my adaptations. It is a fun dish to try different variations with. If you do not have the bran and steel-cut oats (it won't be as good  ;), you can just substitute either the equivalent amount of rolled or quick oats in addition to the 2 1/2 cups of regular oats.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup steel-cut oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or I prefer apple pie spice or a combo of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (I use instead 1/4 cup of molasses)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup oil
2 cups fruit

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 2 quart soufflé baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix with wire whisk; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add to the oat mixture and stir until just combined. Place mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven to stir mixture and gently fold in the fruit. Bake uncovered, for another 20 minutes. (I use a square or small rectangular baking dish, bake it at 350 degrees and mix the fruit into the mixture in the beginning. Then I do not mix it halfway through the baking time, and it seems to set up fine. The total baking time depends on if moisture amounts. I usually have to bake it for 35-45 minutes.)

Some of our favorite combinations are 1 cup of banana, mashed with 1 cup blueberries; 1 cup cranberries (frozen) and 1 cup chopped apples; you can use less banana and more of the other fruits, if desired. You can also use chopped strawberries, peaches, pears, various dried fruits (1 cup)  such as raisins, craisins, figs, dates, apricots, etc.

To serve, spoon into bowls and either eat plain or with yogurt, milk or cream.
This serves approximately 4-6 people.