Oatmeal at its Best

I've been on a breakfast food kick this Holiday season. So here's another favorite recipefrom the vault:

Several Summers ago I had the opportunity to sing with a wonderful little company in Indiana called THE WAGON WHEEL THEATRE. Located in the metropolis of Warsaw, (that is used ironically for those readers who are not familiar with Indiana's geography) the Wagon Wheel puts together an amazing season of performances. I highly recommend checking it out if you ever find yourself in Northern Indiana in Summer craving showtunes... or delicious breakfast foods. During my time in Warsaw my colleagues and I would pile in a car for almost an hour to eat a bowl of oatmeal-the very special Amish Baked Oatmeal at a little restaurant called the Corner Cafe in Nappanee, Indiana. In fact, this oatmeal was so special that one of us would call the restaurant at 6am to ask them to set aside some pieces of baked oatmeal so that the trip would be worthwhile.

It's been years since I had a bowl of that oatmeal-so rich and nutty, so tender and sweet... It haunts me. Or it did until I figured out an approximate recipe:

AMISH BAKED OATMEAL

(makes 6 servings...though I can eat 4 of them myself in one sitting...that's how good this is)

1.5 cups oats (I like the regular kind, not the slow cooking Irish or the quick cooking)

1/2 cup brown sugar (sometimes I use agave if I'm feeling particularly healthy)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 egg

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

(This recipe can be assembled the night before and baked in the morning... but it's not necessary)

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour into a greased 8X8 glass baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes, until edges are golden brown.

Cool Slightly, then cut into squares. Serving suggestions:

top with brown sugar, milk, nuts, bananas, raisins, etc...

(my personal favorite is brown sugar, toasted walnuts, and milk)