My Favorite Make-Ahead Breakfast

 I LOVE breakfast - anyway you slice it - especially eggs but this is my favorite go-to make-ahead breakfast for a busy week. My general morning routine used to be oatmeal with granola on top and whatever fruit is in season - but a couple years ago I found this recipe for Baked Oatmeal and now it is my favorite - and for multiple reasons! I bake it ahead and then since Richard hates oatmeal (he is silly as I think this would convert even oatmeal haters as it's not a pile of mush) I eat off it for almost a whole week. The original recipe was from bonappetit but it made way too much for one person - so if you can get someone else in your house to eat it I would double. It's kind of like a breakfast carrot cake - but not  sweet. After baking I put it in the fridge and then every morning I warm up a hunk in the microwave for about a min. and drizzle with a tiny bit of cream and top with fresh fruit. Today I happened to pit a few fresh cherries and thought that would be good baked into the oatmeal as when there is no good fresh fruit I have used a few dried cherries... my favorite though is in the middle of winter when I pull out a jar of my frozen peach chunks - peaches and cream what's not to love?! 

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

about 6 servings

1 egg

Zest of 1/2 orange

1/4 cup fresh OJ - usually half an orange

1 cup milk

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla

1/2 t cinnamon 

1/4 t ground ginger

1/4 cup steel- cut oats

1 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)

1/2 apple grated

1 medium carrot grated

1/2 t baking powder

3/4 cup chopped nuts (I've mostly done pecans, but today did walnuts and a couple times I had chopped macnuts and OMG those were great)

4 T butter melted

The day before put in a big mixing bowl put all the top 8 ingredients and mix up a bit. Add in the oats, apple, carrot, 1/2 cup nuts,  2 T butter and baking powder and mix. Spray a small rectangular baking pan with oil and then pour in the mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup nuts on top and drizzle with remaining 1 T butter. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 35 min or until browned a bit on top. Serve warmed up the next morning with a little cream and fruit of your choice. Enjoy! 

PS. I also have baked this and brought to someone who is under the weather as they can eat it for a few days

PPS. I tried adding coconut to it and didn't enjoy it. And original recipe called for raisins - but gross! I mean if that's your thing then go for it ; )