Nom nom nom….
But first… here is what has been going on for TEN weeks!!! I was Babette in this year’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” and had SOOOOO much fun!!!!! As my friend said, being in a play (or musical) is like having a baby. At first, you’re all excited. Then, you get tired. Then, you just want it over with. During the show, you are exhausted and promise never to do another show. Right after the show, you are screaming “Let’s do it again!”
Recipe: Weird things happen during shows. One of them is you develop a chocolate craving. See the preggo theme here? I don’t care for chocolate. But for ten weeks I loved it and couldn’t get enough. So, Juliana and I repeatedly taste tested and sacrificed our breakfast for you eating chocolate 🙂 I had some extra frozen cherries in the freezer and used those to pair with the chocolate. But you could use bananas or strawberries. Whatever fruit that tastes like chocolate.
Don’t want the added chocolate calories? Omit the chocolate! We make this baked oatmeal ALL the time with whatever fruit is in season. It tastes great heated up if you make a big batch on Sunday for the week. Pair it with what tastes good. We like orange zest mixed with the oats and topped with blueberries or strawberries. Lemon zest is also yummy. Add vanilla or almonds to the cherries for an almond cherry bake. Add pecans to some chopped up apples. Whatever floats your boat!
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
- 2 cups milk or almond milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tb. applesauce or pumpkin puree or any puree
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cherries (no pitts/seeds), chopped or whole
- ⅛ cup mini chocolate chips
- Optional but very tasty: a few teaspoons of brown sugar
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a 7x11" baking dish with cooking or baking spray.
- Add the dry stuff right into the dish: oats, baking powder, salt and optional cinnamon. Stir the ingredients around with a fork.
- Add the wet stuff into the dry: milk, eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and fruit. Stir that around well with a fork.
- Sprinkle fruit on top. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Bake for 35 minutes. Shake the pan slightly and the middle should not jiggle. If the middle is jiggly, put it back in the oven for 3-5 minutes.
- Cool for 5 minutes. Top with brown sugar and enjoy!
