A twofer is any dish that can be served just after making, and then is also fabulous later on as a LOOP (Left Over On Purpose.)
Let me introduce: Baked Oatmeal.
The reason I love this recipe is twofer:
It is a warm, nourishing breakfast to have on a Monday morning when the world feels like too much and you just need some comfort food to make the world right again.
It is perfect on a Tuesday morning, straight from the fridge as an “Oatmeal Bar” which I then grab and go as I drive into town for work with my homemade latte.
See? Twofer. (That is, if your crew doesn’t eat the whole pan first. If that’s a possibility, you may want to consider making TWO pans to be assured of oatmeal bars later.
Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
Fold in the almonds, apricots and blueberries. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, cream, honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla to combine. This creates a custard-like mixture that you then pour over the oats.
Cut up the rest of the butter and put that on top, along with the remaining brown sugar.
Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, or until the oatmeal has absorbed the liquid and is golden brown on the surface.
Cool slightly before serving.
Let me know if you’ll be trying baked oatmeal, or if you have a favorite twofer recipe in the comments!
Do you love to cook, but getting dinner on the table every night can be overwhelming? Today Kathi dishes with Hope Helmuth, author of Hope’s Table: Everyday Recipes from a Mennonite Kitchen. Hope’s cookbook is filled with beautiful, simple and delicious recipes for everyday meals. Kathi and Hope scoop up their best kitchen tricks to keep you and your family happy at mealtime.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Tips and tricks for staying organized in the kitchen.
How to keep your kitchen clean and ready to cook anytime.
PLUS: How to clean your cast iron skillet quickly and easily.
Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
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Two of Hope’s Favorite Recipes
HERB ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES Serves 4 An easy one-dish meal that is full of flavor and color. The chicken melts in your mouth.
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 onion, cut into chunks 1 sweet potato, cut into chunks 3 red potatoes, cut into chunks
Sauce ¼ cup butter 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 teaspoon brown sugar ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/8–¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Lay chicken and vegetables in a greased large skillet or a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Make sauce: In a small saucepan, melt butter and add garlic, brown sugar, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, cayenne pepper, and parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables. Toss well with hands to make sure sauce is coated evenly. Bake at 350°F for 1½ hours.
PUMPKIN BARS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING Makes 20 bars This recipe from my grandma Shank is great for fall parties. Mom used to make these for our youth group parties, and she would top each square with a candy pumpkin.
In a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, mix together batter ingredients in order listed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10 x 15-inch baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. Make icing: In a small bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth. Spread on cooled bars.
Meet Our Guest
Hope Helmuth
Mennonite Cook, Mother, and Blogger
Hope Helmuth is a Mennonite cook, mother, and blogger who enjoys creating recipes, entertaining guests, gardening, graphic design, and photography. She, her husband, and two daughters live in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, where they own a toy store, Timeless Toys, and several other businesses. Connect with her at Homefulthings.com, on Instagram, and Facebook.
That favorite fudge recipe you always make, that delicious marinated carrot recipe your mom used to make, and Aunt Edna’s pumpkin pie recipe are yearly Christmas treats. The problem is every year you have to search to find them. Wouldn’t it be great to have them all together in one place.
Assignment: Gather your holiday recipes and organize them.
Now is the time to gather all of your favorite holiday recipes in one place! Print, copy, scan (whatever is easiest for you), all of the recipes you use and love each year. Get them into page protectors in your binder. You will be blown away by how helpful this will be to you!
This is also the time to discard any recipes you never use.
If you have a few free minutes, you can go through your recipes and jot down ingredients you will need when you go to the store.
Another great way to save time this holiday season is by making a couple extra copies of each recipe. Keep the extra copies in the same page protector as the original. This way, any time someone asks you for your recipe, you will have an extra copy ready to pull out and give them on the spot.
Excellent instructions for how to organize your recipes in the binder are located in the book.
Supplies: 1) Page Protectors 2) Your favorite recipes
Share Your Thoughts:
How many recipes did you include? Any tips on organizing your recipes? How does it feel to have them all your recipes in one place before you need them? Did you throw any recipes away and how did that make you feel?
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There is enough drama around Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner that it’s best to keep some things very simple. The funny thing is, four of the five super simple recipes listed below are the ones that we get requests to make (and for the recipes… I end up emailing at least a couple of my kids or their friends the recipes every holiday season.
So here are 5 Quick Dishes To Make (or Bring) for Thanksgiving or Christmas. whether you’re hosting at home, or bringing these on the road, you’ll be thankful for a few appetizers and deserts you can make (mostly) ahead.
2 tablespoonschopped fresh herbssuch as dill, parsley, or basil
Toasted baguette
Goat cheese
Instructions
Add the balsamic vinegar and herbs together. Drizzle over slices of toasted baguette or other bread and spread with goat cheese. Finish with another drizzle of vinaigrette. Garnish with thyme.
For those last minute party invites. Just grab a plate and cheese knife from home. You can assemble once you arrive. (Or, if you’re like me, in the backseat of the car while your hubby is driving…)
Garnish with any (or all) of the following: The remaining whole cranberries/jelly. I put this just on the outside edge of the pie. Orange peel zest Shaved white chocolate Refrigerate for a few hours
Yikes! It’s almost time to cook the holiday turkey!
Do you have turkey-phobia?
It can seem like a daunting task to make the perfect turkey, but I promise you, it isn’t. Try my turkey recipe and follow my instructions, and you’ll have a table full of guests licking their fingers and begging for more. But beware, this turkey is so good, there may not be any leftovers for turkey sandwiches.
In a large garbage bag, combine the all the ingredients.
Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bag in a roasting pan and in the refrigerator overnight, turning once.
Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine.
Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.
