Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Hallelujah, we have an oven!  It's been a long 8 months without an oven and I have to say, I will do my best never to go that long without an oven again!  Here in the Netherlands, these combination unit devices are more common than having a stand alone oven.  While I'm sure there are some higher end brands, the ones I've come across are crap and do not work as a microwave or an oven! I think the Dutch should throw caution to the wind on this one, sacrifice efficiency this time, and throw this combination microwave/oven idea out the window!

So, being a bit more tempered about this, after living for 2 years in Italy without a microwave and only an oven, I was at a loss when I first arrived in the Netherlands with this combination devices.  Cook fish on the stove-top? What?  Well, of course we adapted after a while, but baking things likes cakes, scones, brownies, roasted vegetables were all out the window, it was almost like a whole food group was gone! I'm happy it's back and here's my first recipe I'd like to share with my newly installed oven (credit goes to the hubs for that!).

This recipe is derived from this post, one of the few food blogs I follow regularly.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted 
• 1 cup of pumpkin puree 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups of milk (I used full fat, but the original recipe indicates skim milk will work)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups of rolled oats
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter, if using salted butter leave this out)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves (not the original recipe calls for 1/8, but I like the clove flavor so I doubled it)
• 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (I had pecans, the original recipe calls for walnuts)

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven (!) to 350 degrees F (or in my world, 175 degrees C).  Brush a light coating of melted butter onto your baking pan (muffin tin, mini loaf pan or regular loaf pan) or spray with cooking spray and set aside. 
2. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, pumpkin puree, sugar, skim milk, and eggs.  Use a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or use an immersion blender and mix on low to medium speed until the mixture is smooth and the lumps from the pumpkin puree are gone. 
3. Slowly add the rolled oats, baking powder, salt (if using unsalted butter), cinnamon, ginger, and ground cloves mixing well (by hand if not using a standing mixer, on low if using a standing mixer).  
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chopped nuts until thoroughly incorporated. 
5. Evenly divide the batter or spoon into the prepared pan and bake until lightly golden.  The muffins/loaves should be springy, about 30 minutes. 

(Not the greatest photo in the world, but a really hearty breakfast.  When it first came out of the oven, we topped it with butter and brown sugar - similar to how I normally eat my oatmeal.  I've been taking it to work now for breakfast or a snake and it's great as is, definitely feels healthy and not very sweet at all. If you want a sweeter treat, up the amount of granulated white sugar or add brown sugar to the mix).  

If you try it and find other variations you like, please drop a note and let me know!  

Buon Appetito!