Baked Oatmeal

This recipe has been adapted from a breakfast recipe from Scott Station Inn, WImore, Kentucky.

• 3 cups OLD FASHIONED ROLLED OATS ( do not use quick oats.)
• ½-1 cup toasted wheat germ
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• chopped nuts or raisins if desired (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 1/3 cups milk

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. While the oven preheats melt butter in 9x13 baking dish or 4-quart round casserole dish. In another bowl mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon (nuts or raisins). Beat eggs and milk together. Add to oatmeal mixture/ Then blend this mixture with the melted butter in the baking dish/ Bake 35-45 minutes until sides pull away from the pan and a knife comes out clean. Serve hot, with additional milk if desired.

To streamline breakfast in the morning, mix the dry ingredients in a zip-top bag and mix the milk and egg in a jar. Store wet ingredients in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, melt the butter while the oven heats, mix the wet and dry ingredients, blending into the butter in the baking dish. Bake as directed. It is ready by the time I’ve gotten through my morning routine of getting ready for the day.

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Cherry Bars for a Crowd

I saw this recipe from the Farm Stand online recently and thought it would be just the thing to serve at Sunday LIFT, our multi-generational Sunday morning Bible study. And it was a huge hit! ANd it was all done with just one recipe and one pan!

Cherry Bars for a Crowd

For the Bars:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cans (21 oz.) cherry pie filling

For the Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons milk

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan (12x17) with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar, about 1-2 minutes. Add salt, eggs, and vanilla and almond flavorings and continue stirring until fully incorporated. Add flour and baking powder and mix until just combined. Reserve 1/3 of the dough. 
• Spread/Press remaining dough into the prepared baking pan. 
• Top with cherry pie filling. Drop remaining batter in small pieces over the cherry filling. 
• Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. 
• Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely. 
• Once cooled prepare the glaze. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth and drizzle over the bars. Cut into 36 squares and serve.

I made the following changes, mainly because I was out of almond extract: Substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract for almond extract. Use cream and lemon juice to make the glaze.

(photo from the Farm Stand since I never remember to take pictures.)