Overnight Oatmeal Bake with Fruit

I'm always having to bring a breakfast dish to my MOPS group and hate having to prep lots of stuff before heading out the door...because, honestly, that's just not gonna happen! So- anything that I can stir together the night before and pop in the oven in the morning is perfect! I found this recipe online and mixed it up to my liking. I had fresh blueberries and apples on hand, but I'm sure that any combo of fruits would be great too! It turned out even better than I expected!

·         2 large eggs

·         1/3 cup brown sugar

·         1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

·         1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

·         1 teaspoon nutmeg

·         1 teaspoon cinnamon

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 cup butter, melted

·         1/2 cup applesauce

·         1 cup plus 2 T. milk

·         3 cups old-fashioned oats

·         1/2 cup blueberries

·         1 chopped apple (or any other combination of fruits)

·         1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Spray a 2-qt. baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Add brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Whisk in butter, applesauce, and milk, then add oats, fruits and nuts. Stir well, and refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-40 min, or until set in the middle.

Recipe adapted from www.amybites.com

Whole Wheat Honey Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Ross loved these. He kept saying how amazed he was that they were healthy for you and delicious! As for the baby...well, he is wearing them from head to toe so, I think it's safe to say that he approves.

Whole Wheat Honey Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips
adapted from food.com

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup honey
4 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup hot water
Chocolate chips: amount to taste

Directions:

1. Stir together dry ingredients, including cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
2. Beat oil and honey together; add vanilla and eggs and beat well.
3. Add bananas and beat to combine.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet, alternating with hot water; mix well after each addition.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
   
6. Spoon batter into 24 greased muffin cups; bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and test done.
7. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Sticky Buns

Make these. Trust me.

You need:

1 stick of butter, divided
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1 can refrigerated biscuits
1/2 pint fresh washed berries (I have used blueberries and blackberries)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Make it:

-In a cast iron skillet, melt 3/4 stick of butter. Add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and stir until bubbly and it starts to get caramely. I'm not totally sure if that's a real word...just go with it.


-Remove the pan from heat and arrange biscuits in skillet over the caramelized goodness.

-Sprinkle berries over the biscuits.

-In a food processor, mix remaining butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Mix until crumbly.

-Sprinkle the crumble over biscuits.

-Bake at 350. The time will vary. I added about 10 minutes to the directions on the can of biscuits. It will take longer than on the can, since the biscuits are all mashed up together.

-Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving. The sugary mixture stays really hot for a long time. *If you need to take a picture of them, you better be speedy...or your family might get to them first and only leave you a few to photograph*

Butterscotch Banana Muffins

My mom used to make these when we were growing up. They're so fabulous!

1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup white sugar
2 ripe bananas
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Puree oatmeal and sugar in food processor until fine
-Mix all dry ingredients and oatmeal mixture
-Puree bananas
-Add bananas and liquid ingredients to dry mix. Stir only until mixed. Don't over mix.
-Fold in butterscotch chips.
-Bake in sprayed muffin pan for 13-15 minutes

Egg-in-a-basket

I grew up eating egg-in-a-baskets all the time. In college, I asked Ross if he wanted one and he had no idea what I was talking about. So...apparently it is not as common as I thought. This isn't really a recipe at all...just a different way to have eggs and toast....a much, much better way :)

Ingredients
Eggs
Sliced bread
Butter
Salt and pepper

Directions
Butter both sides of toast.
Use a cup to cut out a circle in the middle of the toast, reserving the cut out circle (aka baby hole) on the side.
Place outside bread in hot pan and crack an egg inside of it.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. I like lots of pepper.
Flip over when it looks half-way done.
Sprinkle other side with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat when cooked to desired preference.
Cook cut out circle (baby holes) in pan, flipping as necessary.