Thursday Sept 4th Check **Tinkerbelle** Demo!

[katie in the UP]

If you would like to introduce the amazing health benefits of oatmeal into your regular diet but are having a difficult time finding a tasty way to do that, try my Cherry-Almond Baked Oatmeal.

Oatmeal is an "all-purpose" food. It's a healthy food for ages 1-100 with properties that benefit a diabetic diet. Oatmeal is chock full of important nutrients that promote healthy growth of bone, muscle & teeth. It's full of vitamin B (necessary for a healthy nervous system & for starch metabolism), vitamin E (removes free-radicals that cause damage to the body's cells & resultant aging), calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus & both soluble & insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber slows down the body's digestion of starches & prevents a sharp rise in blood glucose levels after eating. Cooking the oatmeal in milk adds the benefits of additional calcium & protein.

Enough of the biology lesson, let's get to cookin'!

Assemble your ingredients:
1 large granny smith apple, finely chopped
3/4 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
3 cups milk (I use 2%)
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon almond extract



Prepare your baking dish & preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


I like to use a vegetable peeler to quickly remove the peel from my apple, then chop it with a knife.



Combine the first 7 ingredients.


Evenly spread dry ingredients in your prepared dish.


Bring milk, brown sugar & butter to a boil. (This photo was taken with the spices in the pan, but I've since moved them to the dry ingredients because they do not incorporate well into the boiling mixutre.)


When the mixture boils, remove from heat & stir in almond extract. Pour hot mixture over the dry ingredients in prepared pan. Stir gently to combine & even it out.



Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until milk is absorbed & oats are tender.




Serve & enjoy!

[katie in the UP]

This is the best darn oatmeal I have ever seen!!
Perfect demonstration on how to make it!!
Pat yourself on your back!!

Katie

[Chef on the coast]

I am not a huge oatmeal fan - but - this looks really yummy!

[**Tinkerbell**]

Exactly why I've been making it this way. No one in the family will just eat it for breakfast. Cookies, yeah. And when I make meatloaf with it. So when I went on a mission to find a way to make it appetizing for us all I stumbled on the idea of baked oatmeal. Several recipes later & this variation is what the family will eat willingly. lol

*Tink

[sassafrasnanc]

Thanks for such a clear demo and for such gorgeous photos that have me actually WANTING to eat oatmeal!!! wow! Great job!!

[**Tinkerbell**]

Thanks for taking the time to stop in! It really is the only way I can get any of us to eat oatmeal. Different combinations of fruits, apples & extracts can also keep it fresh & not boring. This just happens to be our favorite combo.

[lauralie41]

Saving in my breakfast cookbook!! I love oatmeal but get so tired of eating it with a bit of sugar and milk. Awesome job hon!

[Sharon123]

Great demo! Into my cookbook it goes! This will be great when the wheather gets cooler!

[Caroline Cooks]

Congrats!! Super demo, Tink! Great step-by-step. SAVED that recipe, too.!

[**Tinkerbell**]

Thank you! I hope you all enjoy it!

[A Good Thing]

Great demo, indeed! I am not a fan of oatmeal either (well...I do like the cookies ) but I am going to try this the next time I have a house-full on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Looks really good. Thanks, Tink!

[**Tinkerbell**]

Thanks, Good Thing!
I'm really glad this is inspiring chefs to try oatmeal again. It's really made me feel like I'm not always serving syrup on the weekends. lol

I've been inspired myself after seeing so many of the demos that are running this round & am really excited to try things I've never felt confident enough to try.

[A Good Thing]

**Tinkerbell** wrote:
Thanks, Good Thing!
I'm really glad this is inspiring chefs to try oatmeal again. It's really made me feel like I'm not always serving syrup on the weekends. lol

I've been inspired myself after seeing so many of the demos that are running this round & am really excited to try things I've never felt confident enough to try.

Wonder what would make a good crunchy topping for this baked oatmeal. I like crunchy on top. Sweet crunchy to be exact... Ideas?

[**Tinkerbell**]

Oohhh... how about cutting some cold butter into a little flour, brown sugar & chopped pecans? Sprinkle that on top maybe around the last 5-10 minutes of baking. I'll have to give that a try.
Thanks for the idea! If it works & you don't post it first, I'll be sure to give credit where credit is due on the revised recipe.
*Tink

[A Good Thing]

**Tinkerbell** wrote:
Oohhh... how about cutting some cold butter into a little flour, brown sugar & chopped pecans? Sprinkle that on top maybe around the last 5-10 minutes of baking. I'll have to give that a try.
Thanks for the idea! If it works & you don't post it first, I'll be sure to give credit where credit is due on the revised recipe.
*Tink

hehehe My sweet tooth is rearing it's ugly head.