Baked Oatmeal Apples

Mornings are the best. (Who’s with me?) They are the best for a pretty specific reason (IMO), and that’s the peace and quiet they bring (morning lovers will understand). That peace and quiet is largely possible due to routine for me. And it’s really hard to change something about your morning routine. I’ve tried adding in meditation (lasted about 14 days), journalling, and stretching, but none of them stick. What I usually find that adding more in just brings unnecessary stress during those early hours. When it comes to mornings, I’m all for simplifying.

Which is why lately, I’ve been doing my best to make breakfast in batches one or two times a week (things like casseroles, baked oatmeal, and frittatas) so that when I wake up there is one less thing to do as part of my routine. I usually do this on weekends, when there’s no rush to get out of the house.

This breakfast (almost dessert…) is one of my favorites in the fall. Baked apples are filled to the brim with baked oatmeal and warm spices, like nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. With a little whipped cream, they even make a sweet dessert later in the day.

Baked Oatmeal Apples

Published October 25, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 6   |    Active Time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients:

6 crisp apples

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped pecans

To serve: plain or vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Using a paring knife, cut the tops off the apples and save for step 5. Using a spoon with sharper edges, such as a melon baller, scoop out the apple core and some of the flesh. Be sure the leave at least a 1/4-inch thick outer wall of apple all the way around. Reserve the flesh you’ve removed from the apples, discard of the seeds and pith.
3. Chop up the reserved apple flesh and place in a medium mixing bowl, along with the melted butter, maple syrup, milk, yogurt, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl: rolled oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, salt, and chopped pecans. Stir until full combined.
5. Arrange apples in a baking dish and scoop oat mixture into the cavity of each apple. Place the apple tops back on, and place baking dish on center wrack in oven. Bake 35-45 minutes, until apples are baked though.
6. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve on plates with yogurt (for breakfast) or whipped cream (for dessert).

Roasted Maple Chai-Spiced Cashews

Thirty minutes before friends were set to arrive, I heated maple syrup in a skillet until it was sticky. I was making this salad from Saveur Magazine. No more than five minutes later, the cashews were candied and slowly disappearing while they cooled. (Who? Me? Steeling cashews from the pan? Never! 😏)

The cashews from that salad reminded me of the honey sesame cashews Trader Joe's sells in it's trail mix section. But better, because maple syrup. All things maple syrup are better, right? 

Those cashews sat in my mind for the next week. My eyes had been opened to something new: homemade maple cashews, and the flavor possibilities were endless. Maple Cayenne Cashews. Maple Cinnamon Cashews. Maple Rosemary? It could work. 

But the flavor profile that really got me excited was Maple Chai (you know how I love all things chai-spice). 

While I did no gifting of these cashews, and we ate most of them while they were still warm, they would also make a pretty little gift. Can you picture a mason jar filled with Maple Chai-Spiced Cashews tied up with a festive bow and a little name tag? Cute! And so sweet, in more ways than one. 

Roasted Maple Chai-Spiced Cashews

Published November 30, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups roasted, unsalted whole cashews 
• 1/4 cup maple syrup 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/16 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch ground anise
• 1 pinch ground cloves

Directions:

1. Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or a Silpat (affiliate link!). Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine cardamom, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, anise, and cloves. Stir to combine.
3. Heat maple syrup in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes, stirring, until it begins to thicken. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add spice mix to syrup, stirring to distribute.
4. Now, add cashews to skillet. Stir using a spatula or wooden spoon until all cashews are coated. Scrape cashews with maple syrup onto lined baking sheet and spread out into a single layer, breaking up large clumps. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes.