Apple Crisp Baked Oatmeal, Holiday Style

Serve plain, with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of warm milk—or eggnog! For a festive look, you may wish to top with a few extra cranberries or several thin slices of red and green apples.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts, divided (may use a mix)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg*
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 large egg
1 cup eggnog (I use Turkey Hill Egg Nog)
1 cup milk (any kind will do; I really like the subtle flavor of Silk’s unsweetened almond-coconut milk)
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups diced apples, skin may be left on**
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and butter the inside of a 1-1/2 quart casserole–like a 9-inch square or 7×10-inch baking dish. (A 9×13-inch baking dish may be used; the pieces will just not be as thick.)
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, 1/4 cup of the nuts, all of the dried cranberries, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk the egg and then add the eggnog, milk, and vanilla. Stir or whisk until thoroughly blended.
Sprinkle half of the diced apples over the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the fruit with the dry oat mixture. (I take a moment to spread out any clumps of cranberries.) Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Scatter the remaining apples and nuts evenly over the top, and then sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over all.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the oat mixture is just set in the center. (Check a few minutes early and add time as needed to accommodate the precise dimensions of your baking pan.) Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
The baked oatmeal may be eaten immediately or made the day before, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat gently or enjoy cold or at room temperature.

*Freshly grated nutmeg offers superior flavor to regular ground nutmeg. If using the latter, you may wish to try 1/4 teaspoon the first time around.
**I like to use a mixture of sweet apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, and Golden Delicious. Tart apples like Granny Smith and Gold Rush provide great flavor, too—simply be aware that they will reduce the overall sweetness of the dish.
For this recipe, I like to dice the apples fairly small. That way, they incorporate better with the remaining ingredients.