Strawberry-Banana Baked Oatmeal: I finally hit a home run!

[longtallsally05]

X-post to Lounge :cheerleader1: I've made several batches of baked oatmeal and until now, DS is the only one that liked it. Yesterday I made a 1/2 batch that was a hit with DS, DD, and DS's entire Mother's Morning Out class (I sent it for snack). DD ate it happily (fist time ever), DS attacked it with both hands, and none came back from MMO!

If anyone isn't thrilled with Baked Oatmeal so far, try this recipe:

Mix & let sit on counter for about 4 hrs

2.5 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup strawberry yogurt (low fat Dannon/Kirkland kind from Costco, it comes in individual cups)
1 cup warm water

Mix together, then add to oat mixture

2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together, then add

1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup whole milk

Then add
2/3 cup of fresh strawberries (washed and cut into very small pieces)

Bake @ 350 for 50 minutes in a greased 9x9 stoneware pan.

After it cooled, I covered the pan with foil & let sit on counter overnight. The texture is somewhere between custard and cake. It holds together, but isn't soggy (probably b/c the strawberries were in pretty small pieces).

Enjoy!

[Carrots]

This sounds great! I have heard so much about baked oatmeal from this board that I will have to try it.

The only thing is, does it really have to sit overnight? I am an instant gratification kinda gal. :)

[longtallsally05]

Oh, you can eat it right away; it just won't hold it's shape as well if it is hot out of the oven. It firms up as it cools down. I just left mine on the counter overnight b/c I didn't want to send cold, custardy squares to MMO in the am. Baked oatmeal is more appetizing to my kids when it's room temp or warmer. This morning my DD polished off the last square and pronounced it "Pinkeriffic"! Now that is a ringing endorsement from a 4.5 year old girl!:boogie:

[maylips]

I'm wondering if it would taste as good if you substituted the strawberry yogurt and fresh berries with blueberry yogurt and blueberries? That's what I have on hand anyway....

I know this has been answered before, but if you use steel cut oats, how much longer do they have to sit?

[longtallsally05]

I'm sure you could, but when I've used frozen blueberries, the end product was a very unappetizing grey color and neither of my children ate much. So, I wouldn't do blueberry yogurt and I'd only use fresh whole blueberries, otherwise it will discolor the oats.

I don't know the answer to the other question, though I wouldn't use steel-cut oats. I seem to recall someone posted that steel-cut oats make for very chewy baked oatmeal. I just use plain-old, regular whole oats, the kind that take 5 minutes to cook on the stovetop.

Have fun experimenting and be sure to post to let us know how it turns out!