Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

I tried something new for breakfast this week... Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal.  My concern was that I undercooked this (but it did not stop me from enjoying it; I just treated this like pre-cooked oatmeal). I had my canned pumpkin in the refrigerator so I ended up adding cold pumpkin, cold milk, and cold eggs, just prior to popping this in the oven.  I should have factored that in and baked this just a tad longer (or let some of the ingredients come up to room temperature first).  My Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal was a little gooey inside when I went to cut it.  I cut this into nine squares and each morning, I've been warming up a slice in the microwave oven for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; I just splash a little almond milk over the square before warming it up.  This recipe is from a blog called "Julie's Eats and Treats".  The recipe calls for Truvia products, which I think are artificial sweeteners or sweeteners which contain stevia.  I just made the recipe with a little bit of light brown sugar in place of the Truvia. My other alterations included the addition of raisins and chopped pecans.  This is not sweet but I like things which are not overly sweet.  If you like things on the sweeter side, you can add more sugar before baking or you can add more sugar or some maple syrup with each serving.  I will definitely make this dish again. I love that I am getting a vegetable full of vitamins in my breakfast and this dish is even easier to make in the morning than precooked oatmeal!  I might have to research some other baked oatmeal recipes.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
Original Recipe Link:  http://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/baked-pumpkin-oatmeal/
Adapted from www.julieseatsandtreats.com

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
• 1/4 c. (not packed) light brown sugar          
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 c. milk
• 2 1/2 c. dry old-fashioned
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• Optional toppings when you warm up each serving:  maple syrup or more brown sugar and milk.        

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth. Whisk milk into mixture.
3. Mix the dry oats, raisins, and chopped pecans into the pumpkin mixture. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until center no longer looks wet and edges are golden brown.
4. Serve hot right out of oven topped with maple syrup or a sprinkle of brown sugar and milk (if desired) to taste or refrigerate until read to be served. Can be eaten cold or reheated.