Healthy Hearty Breakfast

The best part are the add your own toppings. Brown sugar, cinnamon, dried fruit, and fresh fruit are delicious on hot oatmeal. 

Here is an easy and delicious recipe for Baked Oatmeal that is a winner at our house.  The best part is you make it the night before, refrigerate and pop it in the oven first thing in the morning and it makes the house smell amazing as it is baking. Refrigerate individual servings in containers to warm up easily for the next couple of mornings for quick an healthy start to the day before work, school, the gym or running errands.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup white sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3 cups quick cooking oats, 1/2 cup raisins, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.  Lightly grease an 8 x 8 pan.

*This recipe serves 8 but if you are having a larger crowd, double the recipe and use an 11 x 14 baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray of your choice. If doubling recipe, use 1 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar.....

Beat together oil and sugar.  Mix in eggs, milk, salt, baking powder, and oatmeal.  Beat well, then stir in raisins.  Pour into lightly greased pie pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. (I sometimes use a store bought cinnamon/sugar blend from the spice aisle..)  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and bake in oven until firm....about 35 minutes.  Serve hot.  Serve it up with fresh blueberries, strawberries and raspberries!  Yum!

For a healthier alternative, applesauce in place of the oil works great too!