Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal

Recipe by Melissa Clark – New York Times

For a simple, filling breakfast, baked steel-cut oatmeal, enriched with almond butter and cinnamon, is a go-to recipe. This version is particularly adaptable: Use peanut butter or almond butter, steel-cut or cracked oats, or any number of warming spices that might be in your cupboard. Then, garnish as you wish!!

What You Need

• ¼ cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 cup steel-cut or cracked oats
•  Pinch of salt
•  Cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom, for sprinkling (optional)
•  Sliced bananas, raisins or dried fruit, chopped apple, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar or heavy cream, for garnishing (optional)

How to Make It

1. Heat oven to 350º and bring a kettle of water to a boil.
2. In a medium shallow casserole or baking dish, combine 3 cups boiling water and the nut butter and stir until smooth-ish. (Don’t worry about a few lumps.) Stir in oats. Season the mix with a big pinch of salt, and some cinnamon or nutmeg if you like.
3. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, stirring halfway through to prevent sticking. Taste and if the oats aren’t cooked enough, let it bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
4. Garnish with whatever you like, and serve.