Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

You know it's going to be an interesting week when a Monday catches you with your hair still wrapped up in a towel, legs unshaven and clothes still in dire need of ironing. None of these happened to me (*this* time at least), but it seems analogous to how I feel about this week.

Between date night with TheHusband on Friday evening (we had cocktails & supper here and went to watch Shrek 4 at the cinema), wedding gift shopping on Saturday morning, catching a band on Saturday evening and entertaining my MIL on Sunday (the weather was nice so we braaied, like good South Africans should), is it any wonder that my blog didn't get the TLC it deserved?

Luckily the blog doesn't bear a grudge for long - you know, what with being inanimate and all. Scoring me some more brownie points was the lingering cinnamon-y aroma emanating from the kitchen on Saturday morning. Perfect for when you need to make amends with your blog. Or, for the less absurd-minded among you, perfect for a wintry weekend morning.

For those of you familiar with South African crunchies this baked oatmeal will taste like home. It is delicious served still warm from the oven, cut into slices and drenched in warm milk.* TheHusband likes to add a little bit of sugar to his bowlful, but I think it's perfect just as it is, faintly sweet with a sofly spiced taste. A warm hug in a bowl; yes please.

*Actually (let's be honest here), it's pretty damn good eaten cold from the fridge too.

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Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Recipe from Delicous Days
Originally from Macheesmo
Serves 3 - 4

1 egg
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking powder (baking soda)
1 tsp vanilla essence (vanilla extract)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
a pinch of salt

{Important: You need to prep this the night before you want to have it for breakfast.}

1. Whisk egg in a bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well to combine. Spoon into a greased oven dish, cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next morning, take your prepared oats out of the fridge and pre-heat your oven to 180C (350F). Place oats in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy on top. Cut into slices and serve warm with milk.

Variations:

a) Add a handful of any of the following (or combinations thereof) to the oats: chocolate chips, caramel chips, shredded coconut or raisins.
b) Leave out the nutmeg and instead infuse the milk with star anise before adding to the oats mixture.
c) Add a handful of candied orange peel (diced) and slivers of toasted coconut to the oats and replace the vanilla essence with orange essence.
d) Replace the milk with coconut milk and add a handful of chopped dried pineapple or mango to the oats for a tropical breakfast treat.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 342.0, Total fat 14.2 g, Saturated fat 7.8 g, Polyunsaturated fat 2.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 4.9 g, Cholesterol 88.1 mg, Sodium 360.2 mg, Potassium 437.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 77.9 g, Dietary fiber 12.0 g, Sugars 20.1 g, Protein 8.3 g

Good source of: Manganese 251.9 %, Phosphorus 48.8 %, Thiamin 40.7 %,  Iron 38.9 %, Magnesium 37.0 %, Calcium 30.7 %