Baked Oatmeal

 I never liked grits.

For a Girl Raised In The South it feels like sacrilege. And yet, for 30 years, it was my truth. 

So even though I now order shrimp and grits at restaurants and make grits bowls with roasted veggies often enough that I used up the entire bag a houseguest gave us, it still feels like a primary* part of my identity is not liking grits.

 Christmas smells like cheese grits. Which I would dutifully try. Eating my grit and then going back to coffee cake. (At least until my last healthy holiday at home, when I actually liked them. And then ate a serving. And so John doesn't know that I don't like grits.)

We talked about making cheese grits for this Covidtine Christmas, but we used up our fancy houseguest bag. So switching to the baked oatmeal that John's mom makes felt reasonable. It even used up the can of pears that neither of us remembers buying. Acquisition from a previous roommate? Perhaps. Luxury anyway? Yes.

Baked Oatmeal

1.5 cups rolled oats (4.5 ounces)

1.5 cups thinly sliced peaches (canned peaches in juice may be used; or pears/blueberries. Could add nuts)

1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350º.

Grease 8 inch square baking pan. (Or whatever casserole/dutch oven you want to use.)

Combine oats, fruit, and sugar. 

In another bowl combine egg, vanilla, almond extract, and milk. Whisk together

Add liquids to oat mixture. Mix well. 

Pour into baking dish and bake uncovered for 50 minutes.

*Primary as in original. Not primary as in most important.