Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal tastes like a fresh baked peanut butter oatmeal cookie.

One of the reasons I never expect to make a living at this blogging thing is that I really don't have the time or mental space to think of recipes just to blog about them. I make food because I want to eat it. And because I want other people to eat it too, when it turns out delicious. 
This morning I decided that the Baked Oatmeal I've been making for a little over a year now could taste really extra special with the addition of a bit of peanut butter. 
This thought came to me early in the morning--fortunately allowing me enough time to execute my experiment before having to go to church for coffee bar duty where I would be tempted to eat yummy Asiago bagels with cream cheese. I'd like to say that my serving of this oatmeal helped me to resist, but the siren call of the bagels was too much, and I ended up having half a bagel. Just half though. That's okay, right?
At any rate, bagel eating aside, this little baked oatmeal experiment turned out perfectly. My house smelled like fresh baked peanut butter cookies, and the peanut butter added a nice nutty richness to the baked oatmeal I've already come to love.
If you've never tried baked oatmeal, you really must give it a try, whether you're a fan of regular oatmeal or not. It's not mushy at all, and it tastes to me like a big fluffy oatmeal cookie doused in heavy cream and milk. The oatmeal comes out al dente, and the sugar and honey make is awesomely sweet--not sugary, just sweet.
If I were a fan of jam, I might have added a dollop of strawberry jam to the top of this, but since I'm not, I added the chopped almonds because I could--and because they're delicious.  
So here's the recipe. I've said more than enough. Enjoy. 

Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons flax seed meal (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 5x7 inch pan and set aside.
• Mix together brown sugar, oil, peanut butter, honey, eggs, and vanilla.
• Add oatmeal, flax meal, baking powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly and then stir in milk.
• Pour into the prepared pan, sprinkle with the final teaspoon of sugar and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Serve with milk, nuts, fruit, or whatever sounds good with oatmeal.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated and warmed up in the microwave easily. I also wrap single serving portions in foil and freeze. When I want to use it, I open the top of the foil and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Sometimes I'll microwave it a little at the end to get it hot.

Makes 4 servings
Recipe is easily doubled--just use a square 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan.