Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Cream Cheese Drizzle

Mariel here. Being subjected to an inedible breakfast is pretty much a rite of passage for any mother. Right up there with getting barfed on and serving as your toddler’s translator. Growing up, my brothers and I treated my mom to plenty of breakfasts-in-bed on Mother’s Day and we tended to call upon our favorite kiddie cookbook, “Wondr’ous Fare” for such delicious ideas as “Mashed Fruit Soup” and “A Ham Sandwich.” We’d present our offering with beaming smiles, while my mom would happily oblige us with “mmm’s” and “ahhs” of approval. Surely there must have been stacks of half-eaten trays languishing beneath her bed when we moved.

Although this is only my second Mother’s Day, I’ve already had the privilege of choking down an inedible but charmingly well-intentioned breakfast. My husband, who would happily subsist on a diet of DiGiorno’s Pepperoni Pizzas and Coke Zero, never learned how to cook, but in honor of my first Mother’s Day, whipped up a vegetable omelet. Unfortunately, he didn’t realize that a veggie omelet usually entails “cooked” vegetables, so when we both bit into his creation, he turned to me with a mouthful of raw onion and said, “Something really tastes off here.” Well said, boss man.

This year, I’m staying one step ahead, and while I’d never suggest making your own breakfast, it would probably be helpful to slip your cooking crew a recipe that can be prepped ahead. It’s that last-minute morning scramble that tends to be the final nail in the coffin. Below is a dish that can be prepared the night before – all that needs to be done the day-of is pouring the batter into a greased pan and baking for 35 minutes. And I suspect you won’t have to grin through gags while eating it.

Other Mother’s Day brunch ideas: Apple Pie Pancakes a la Mode; Oatmeal-Blackberry Pancakes with Grated Orange Zest and Greek Yogurt; Spring Frittata with Caramelized Onions, Asparagus & Cheddar; Ginger & Cinnamon-Spiced French Toast

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Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Cream Cheese Drizzle
Serves 6-8
Adapted from Cooking Done Light

Ingredients for Baked Oatmeal:
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked – stock
¼-cup flax seeds – $2.69
½-teaspoon baking powder – stock
1 cup chopped pineapple – $2.99
1 cup grated carrots – $1.50
¼-cup chopped walnuts – stock
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon – stock
½-teaspoon kosher salt – stock
1½ cups milk – stock
1 over-ripe banana, mashed – $0.88
1 teaspoon vanilla extract – stock
2 Tablespoons butter, melted – stock
1 egg, lightly beaten – stock
¼-cup pure maple syrup – stock

Cream Cheese Drizzle:
2 Tablespoons cream cheese – $1.99
1½ Tablespoons confectioner’s sugar – stock
1 Tablespoon milk – stock
½-teaspoon vanilla extract – stock
Grand total assuming “well-stocked” kitchen: $10.05
Cost per serving: $1.25

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square metal pan or 10-inch loaf pan with Pam/cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flax, baking powder, pineapple, carrots, walnuts, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, combine milk, mashed banana, vanilla, butter, egg and maple syrup.

4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the oat mixture. {Note: at this point, you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight}.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The consistency should be somewhere between bread pudding and a wet cake.

7. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

8. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for cream cheese drizzle then pour on top. Serve warm.