Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal
photo courtesy of Willi Galloway
This recipe is a great make-ahead meal, perfect for busy holiday weeks like Thanksgiving, when the house is full of hungry out-of-town guests. But it also makes a great snack and could easily translate to dessert with the addition of vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
Yield: All recipes serve 2 people
Chef Notes: Extra-thick rolled oats will offer the best texture, but regular rolled oats work well too. Just don’t use quick-cooking rolled oats or instant oats, as their texture is too fine for this recipe. If you want to make this recipe refined sugar–free, stir the orange zest into the liquid ingredients and skip the turbinado sugar topping.
Components
Oatmeal
Toppings: Cream, mixed berries, salted butter, flaky sea salt, or if eating as dessert, ice cream!
Mise
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 7-by-11-inch (2 quart) baking dish with butter.
Combine the sugar and orange zest in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar to release its essential oils. Set aside.
Stir together the rolled oats, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking powder, and raisins in a large mixing bowl. Pour the melted butter over the oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated.
Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, orange juice, maple syrup, and applesauce in a separate medium bowl, then stir in the grated carrot, zucchini, and apple.
Stir the milk mixture into the oats, folding until everything is well combined and the oats are evenly moistened. Pour the oats into the prepared baking dish, making sure the vegetables and apple are evenly distributed.
Put the dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Pull the dish out and sprinkle the orange sugar mixture over the top. Return to the oven and bake for another 25–30 minutes. The oatmeal is ready when it pulls away slightly from the edge of the pan and the middle feels bouncy to the touch. Allow to cool before cutting (or cover and store in the fridge if eating another day).
Finish
Cut into 8 even rectangles.
Serve with a drizzle of cream, a knob of butter, a sprinkle of flaky salt, and a tad more sugar or maple syrup if you want it sweeter.
MAKE-AHEAD MORNINGS: After baking, cool to room temperature. Cut the oatmeal into 8 even rectangles, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To reheat, put a single portion on a microwave-safe dish and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Or reheat the whole pan by placing it covered into an oven heated to 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
To freeze, wrap individual portions in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.