Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal

I found this recipe online somewhere (on the message boards of 3 Fat Chicks) and modified it a bit for my tastes.

I got up early on Saturday morning with a craving for oatmeal and did a quick search online to find this. The batch made 6 servings and I've been having it for breakfast the past few days. It's delicious!

EDITED: For you non-Betty Crocker types.... Steel cut oats is just oatmeal kernals before they are "rolled" and flattened into what we all recognize as regular old oatmeal. They have a nutty flavor and more texture than regular oatmeal and I'm quickly becoming addicted to it! From Wikipedia:

Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces. They are golden in color and resemble small rice pieces. Steel-cut oats are also known as coarse-cut oats, pinhead oats, Scotch oats, or Irish oats. Scotch oats are a less coarse variation. Steel-cut oats have a lower glycemic index than instant oats, with the disadvantage that the prep time is longer; steel cut oats take about 13-14 minutes on the stove top.

I usually pick up the Bob Mills Steel Cut Oats from Kroger or Meijer grocery stores. You can also get them from heath food stores if you have one close by. Or buy some online - Amazon has a great deal on on a 50-pound bag or you can get smaller quantities for pretty cheap too ($1.55/lbs for Oat Groats).

Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
3.5 cups skim milk
1 apple -- peeled & diced
1/2 cup dried cherries (use cranberries or raisins if you prefer)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar free vanilla syrup (I use DaVinci)
1 teaspoon salt

Heat milk in saucepan on stove while you dice the apple. When milk is hot (not boiling) add all ingredients and heat until mixture just begins to boil. Pour into a baking dish. Cover and bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until liquid is all absorbed.

I separated the entire batch into individual serving bowls and had enough for 6 WLS-sized servings. For normal-stomached-people, this would be about 4 servings.

~Pam