Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Does Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal sound like a strange combination to you?  I'm sure the title sounds a little odd.  But this version of Baked Oatmeal is really luscious.  "Luscious?"  "Oatmeal?" you might ask.  Yep!  It was warm and gooey and tasted just like a hot oatmeal/chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven!  This breakfast would be a great way to introduce oatmeal to your children.  If they like chocolate chip granola bars (specifically the chewy ones) or oatmeal cookies, they are going to love this!  This recipe is also very cheap to make and uses ingredients found in your pantry!  I love that about it.  I also love that I usually have a handful of chocolate chips that didn't make it into cookies and I can throw this together for a hot, delicious, and pretty healthy breakfast.  This really tastes nothing like the kind of oatmeal you get in the packets.  This is more like a warm, gooey granola bar.  YUM!

This is how I make Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal AT HOME MY WAY:

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal  (I halved this recipe, which I baked in a pie plate as below.)

CHOCOLATE CHIP BAKED OATMEAL 

• 3 cups old fashioned oats 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs (slightly beaten) (just whites works fine or egg beaters)
• ½ cup margarine/butter or oil (I use canola oil)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup (or up to 1 cup) chocolate chips (semi sweet or dark)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. In separate dish, mix together milk, egg(s), melted butter/margarine/oil and vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread into a 9 x 13 dish (sprayed or lightly oiled). Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.  Serve warm.  Also terrific leftover.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BAKED OATMEAL - HALF BATCH - for baking in a pie plate or 8x8 square pan

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (dark or light) 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 1 egg (slightly beaten)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (could also add pecans/walnuts/almonds)
• 1/4 cup (or up to 1/2 cup) chocolate chips (I use semi sweet or dark)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350.  Mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl.  In a separate dish (I used my 2-cup measurer), measure the milk to 1/2 cup.  Add 1/4 cup of oil.  Mix in the blended egg.  Stir well to mix.  Then add the liquid ingredients to the dry in the bowl.  Stir well and add 1/4 cup chocolate chips.  Pour into lightly oiled or sprayed (with cooking spray) pie pan or 8x8 square pan.  I like to use a loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, dip it out in a bowl and eat with a spoon or fork like you would coffee cake.