Baked Oatmeal Cups

These baked oatmeal cups come together really quickly. They are relatively healthy and they make breakfast and/or snack time a breeze for an entire week! The flavor of the overall “muffin” is not too sweet, but you can increase the sugar if you like. This recipe is easily tailored, depending on what fruits are in season. My personal favorite is to use peaches and when peaches are not in season, raspberries.

Adapted from The Kitchn 

Makes 12 baked oatmeal cups.

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted (plus more for the muffin pan)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk (any kind; I used 2%)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (lightly packed) (~45 grams) or 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats (300 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (5 grams)
• 1 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon (2 grams)
• 2 cups fresh raspberries or other fruit (e.g., peaches cut into 1/2 inch cubes; Concord grapes halved and seeded) 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease the wells of a standard 12-well muffin tin well with butter.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and let cool.
3. Prepare your fresh fruit.
4. Add eggs to a large bowl; whisk. Whisk in butter. Add milk, sugar, and vanilla; whisk until combined.
5. Add the oats, baking powder, and cinnamon to the bowl. Stir until combined. The mixture will be soupy.
6. Gently mix in your fruit.
7. Divide the oatmeal mixture evenly among the muffin wells, ~1/3 cup per well, filling each one just to the top, making sure each well has a similar amount of liquid and filling.
8. Bake at 350°F on middle rack until slightly risen, dry on top, and golden-brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. If using a fresh fruit that tends to release liquid while cooking (e.g., peaches), the “muffins” might require a longer baking time, about 45 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
9. Let the “muffins” cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around each muffin, prying gently to remove. Place “muffins” on a rack to cool completely.

mise en place

soupy batter

two types of oatmeal cups: peach and fig, ready to be baked

peach oatmeal cups, ready to be baked

Make it your own:

Add a few other ingredients to customize these oat cups to your liking.

• Split the batter in half, adding a different type of fresh fruit to each half.
• Add 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana to further sweeten the batter (add in step 4).
• Instead of fresh fruit, add 1/2 cup raisins or another dried fruit. For more texture, couple the dried fruit with 1/2 cup chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or chocolate chips (add in step 6). I imagine a batch with dried cherries, coconut flakes, and maybe some mini chocolate chips would be quite a treat. 

baked oatmeal cups: some with raspberries, others with Concord grapes

The Kitchn recommends: 

Storage: Muffins can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Freezing: Individually wrap any muffins you won't eat within a few days in aluminum foil and freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Once defrosted, they can also be reheated in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds if you prefer them warm.

I keep mine on the counter for a day or two, while the rest remained in the fridge or in the freezer. I let those in the fridge come to room temperature on the counter (overnight) before eating them. The texture doesn't suffer at all. 

Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler

This recipe was adapted by my mother who found the original recipe in a newspaper some time ago, during the pre-internet era when home cooks relied heavily on the weekly Food section of the local newspaper for inspiration and delight. Fortunately, this recipe did not disappoint!

Summers, in my opinion, are not truly summers unless they include at least one peach cobbler. Make this recipe at the height of peach season and you just might agree.   

 Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh peaches (~6-8 peaches, yield ~5 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter (i.e., 1/2 a stick), butter should be cold
• 1/4 cup milk (2% is fine)
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Peel and cut up the peaches into ~8 slices each; place in the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking dish.
2. Sprinkle the peaches with 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and baking powder.
4. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until course crumbs develop.
5. Add milk and egg; stir until just moistened.
6. Drop ~9 even spoonfuls of biscuit batter over the top of the peaches.
7. Bake at 400° F for 25 min or until biscuits begin to brown. Test biscuits with a toothpick for doneness.

a mix of white and yellow peaches from the farmers' market

This cobbler is great served on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored, loosely covered, on the counter for a day or so. Enjoy!!
 

Venetian Cauliflower

I have been meaning to try this NY Times recipe for Venetian Cauliflower for a few weeks now.  Fortunately, Storm Niko provided the perfect mid-week opportunity.  I tweaked this Ottolenghi-inspired recipe a bit, of course.  And now, without further ado...

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
• 1 large onion, diced
• Pinch of saffron, crumbled and infused in 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• Pinch of crushed Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper)
• ¼ cup currants
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry 
• ½ cup dried cranberries (if they are very dry soak them in hot water for a few minutes, then drain)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest 
• Salt to taste 
• ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Serves 4 to 6

Directions:

1. Roast the pine nuts in the oven on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil at 400 for 3 to 5 min, just until they take on a slightly toasted color.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt.
   

   

   toast your pine nuts

2. Divide the cauliflower in quarters (cutting from top to bottom); remove the core.  Use a knife to separate the cauliflower into small florets of equal size.  Blanch florets in boiling water for 5 minutes.  Run under cold water; drain; set aside.
3. Put 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes.  
4. Soak dried currants in sherry, and cranberries in hot water.  
5. Grind fennel and coriander seeds into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.

   

   soak your dried fruits and prepare your spices (mise en place)

6. Add cinnamon, ground fennel, ground coriander, and Aleppo pepper to the skillet.  Let the spices toast briefly in the skillet.  Add saffron (with its liquid); stir.  
7. Add cauliflower florets, currants (with liquid), cranberries (drained), and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (reserving the remaining 1/2 teaspoon).  Season with salt.  Toss gently to distribute.  Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes more, until cauliflower reaches desired tenderness and flavors meld. 
8. Transfer to a serving dish, dress with 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, roasted pine nuts, and parsley.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

The sweetness of the currants and earthy warmth of the spices (cinnamon, saffron, coriander) are perfectly balanced with the brightness of the cranberries and fresh lemon.  

If you happen to have leftovers, this dish is a great remedy for those mid-winter desk lunch blues, so go ahead and add this one to the list (and to this list, and this one, and this podcast)! 

Interesting fact:  Dried currants aren't actually currants...  Who knew?