Baked Oatmeal

This is a breakfast favorite at my house. You can get all of the benefits of eating oatmeal without having the cooked, hot oatmeal breakfast cereal texture - if you don't like that kind of thing. This is more like a bar cookie. (I have modified the recipe a bit. You can find the original here.)

• 1 1/2 c. old fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 c. quick oats
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 c. milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. dried fruit
  

In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat in milk, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Stir in dried fruit. Spread into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. (At this point you can cover it with foil and put it in the fridge overnight OR it can go directly into the oven.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 about minutes.

Sometimes I mix in banana slices with the dried fruit if I have a banana that needs to be used. Chocolate chips also substitute nicely for the dried fruit. :-)