Baked Oatmeal

My sweet Cameron loves oatmeal for breakfast in all forms.  This is a recipe I have been making since 2003. My kids love it. I love that it has 7 grams of protein, 48.8g carbohydrates (not a favorite for carb watchers), and has 3.4 g fiber per serving.  Serving this to my children makes me feel like I am giving them something that it will stay with them unlike cold cereal when I send them off to school .  It is good in the winter as a warm welcome on a cold morning to start of the day.  It can be made ahead, covered in the fridge, and simply reheat as needed throughout the week.  Mine never last longer than one day; two if I am lucky!


BAKED OATMEAL

Preheat oven to 375.
Spray your 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine in a medium bowl.
4 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
3/4 -1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
2 Tablespoon pecans
3 cups milk

Combine in a separate bowl
1/2 cup applesauce
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
cooking spray


Add the milk mixture to the oat mixture; stir well.  Pour oat mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown and the center of the oatmeal looks set.
Yields 10 servings (serving size 2/3 cups)

*If you half the recipe use a 8 x 8 pan.

Slow Cooker Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie

This a favorite at our house, but how can you go wrong with a classic like Chicken Pot Pie?
My kids give this recipe a 5 Star rating; I have been making it for a couple of years now and can't believe I couldn't find it when I came searching on my blog for it.  I love this classic comfort food and that I can throw my chicken thighs in frozen and still have it done in 6-7 hours on low.
Make your favorite biscuit.  I usually use Bisquik because it keeps things simple, but any favorite biscuit will act like the crust if you will.  Split the biscuit and place in bowl and spoon some of the hearty stew over the top. Or if you are filling extra motivated you could bake pasty puff shells in place of the biscuits.  It's even good without biscuits if you don't have time to get to them.


Slow Cooker Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie

1 1/4 pound of boneless chicken thighs (3 Costco size thighs)
1/2 cup chopped onions (Instant onions could be used here 1 Tablespoon. I prefer fresh always)
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (18 oz) chicken or Turkey gravy or 2 envelope pouches made as instructed on package
2 medium celery stalks, diced
Add the last 15 minutes of cooking:
1 (12 oz) bag of your favorite frozen mixed vegetables

Place the chicken in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Top with onions, bay leaf, pepper and gravy.  Place celery on gravy.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. (If you have an older crock pot it may take 8-10 hours just check your chicken to make sure it is cooked through).

About 30 minutes before serving, make and bake your biscuits.  Meanwhile, gently stir in frozen vegetables into the chicken mixture.  Increase heat to high setting, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Serve with your favorite biscuits as preferred- over the top or on the side whatever makes the crowd happy.  My in-laws like this served over mash potatoes. Its versatile.

MAKES 8 (3/4 cup each) SERVINGS

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I got from Betty Crocker Kitchens

IHOP French Toast and Coconut Syrup!

(*Updated picture with French Bread 1/25/2010)

This french toast is great. I didn't get a picture because it disappeared so quickly. Cameron had been requesting french toast for breakfast for a while, so I thought I would give this recipe a try. The boys were so excited and had to help make the syrup. I didn't have any great french bread to use at the time I tried this one so we used our regular sandwich bread and it turn out fine. I am sure the french toast would make it over the top, but my boys didn't seem to care and loved it anyway. This would be fun to serve for those special and extra special occasions.

IHOP French Toast by Erin sisterscafe.blogspot.com

2 eggs

½ c. milk

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 T. flour

6 slices of thick sliced French bread

First beat eggs, then add remaining ingredients with electric mixer. Dip both sides of bread and place in hot buttered pan. Flip over when browned. Serve with Coconut Syrup.

*This recipe reminds me of "The Best cookbooks" French Toast.

Coconut Syrup

This syrup is so tasty! Have you checked out the ingredients how can it not be anything but "Toolicious!". The flavor is wonderful and reminds me a lot of a liquid coconut cream pie. This is a new favorite at our house. Serve it with hot breakfasts, whether it be waffles, pancakes, crepes or french toast. You won't be sorry.

7-8 T. butter

¾ c. buttermilk (I didn't have buttermilk. I used 1% milk + lemon juice substitute in the Better Homes and Gardens)

1 c. sugar

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp coconut extract **

Place butter, buttermilk and sugar in a pot. Then turn stove on medium and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Remove from heat and add soda and flavoring. It will bubble up; just continue to stir and give it a few minutes for the 'fizz' to reduce before serving.

**Erin from the sisters cafe blog said she also likes to use vanilla extract to change up the syrups from time to time.