baked berry oatmeal

So, I said I'd share... and here it is! This delicious breakfast went fast over Thanksgiving, when I introduced it to my family, and I'm looking forward to trying lots of different berries over this winter. So far we've just had blackberries and raspberries {both absolutely delicious, but we were partial to the raspberry.} Adds a nice spark of color, don't 'ya think?

Yum. Mouth watering just looking at this picture... re-living the taste over here! So, I hope you try this one! It's a great cozy morning breakfast. Enjoy!

Baked Berry & Banana Oatmeal

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans chopped (I used Trader Joe's slightly sweetened and salted)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for serving
1 cup milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
3/4 cup fresh berries (any kind)

Assembly:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease or spray an 8x8inch pan with either butter or cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, toss together the oats, pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, milk, egg, and half of the melted butter, and the vanilla.

Place the sliced banana pieces in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.  Sprinkle about two-thirds of the fresh berries over the top of the bananas.

Cover the fruit with the oat mixture, then drizzle the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the milk as evenly as possible.  Lastly, sprinkle the remaining berries over the top of the oats.

Bake the oatmeal for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the oats have set.
Remove the oatmeal from the oven.  Drizzle remaining butter over pan, plate, and serve with additional maple syrup if desired.
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Now, we were first served this by our friends the Kramers with good bacon (makes a difference) and cinnamon applesauce. It's a great combo, so throw some eggs in there and make it a meal! It's completely worth it. Happy breakfast-ing!