Baked Oatmeal Casserole

This is our go-to for a special breakfast. You can make it ahead of time and bake it the morning of. It is delicious, seems fancy but is pretty easy to assemble!

2 c. rolled (not instant) oats

½ C. walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/3 c. sugar or maple syrup

1 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp fine grain sea salt

2 c. milk

1 large egg or 2 medium/small eggs

1 ½ tbs unsalted butter, melted plus some to grease the pan

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, sliced into pieces

1 ½ c. fresh or frozen berries

 

1.       Preheat oven to 375 with rack in top third of oven. Butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.

2.       In a bowl, mix together oats, half the walnuts, sugar if you are using it (not syrup), baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk together maple syrup, if using, milk, egg, butter and vanilla.

3.       Arrange bananas in a single layer in bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 2/3 of the berries over top. Cover the fruit with oat mixture. Slowly drizzle milk mixture over oats. Gently give baking dish a few thwacks on countertop to make sure milk moves through oats. Scatter remaining berries and walnuts on top.

4.       Bake 40-60 minutes, until top is golden and oats have set.