Imagine waking up on Thanksgiving morning and starting your day with rich, creamy oatmeal that's laced with bits of apple, golden raisins and delightful spices. Now, imagine the festive smiles that will greet you if you are serving it inside a roasted pumpkin? Have I got a treat for you this month!
This is a tweakable recipe. I've made it with and without the egg. Try it with for a richer version. You can opt for a lot of different kinds of fruit. Pears work nicely if apples aren't your thing. Raisins can be swapped out for just about any kind of dried fruit, too. Serving it with extra brown sugar, a bit of maple syrup or even sugar-spiced nuts would be excellent. If you like your oatmeal a little smoother, try serving a little with more milk or half and half at the table. And no matter what you add to your oatmeal, make sure you scoop a bit of the roasted pumpkin into your bowl, too. It's the taste of fall in every bite. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Oatmeal
- 1 medium baking pumpkin (4-5 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 3/4 cup skim milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 medium apple (cored & diced small)
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Start by carefully cutting the top off your pumpkin and cleaning the insides out. This can be done the night before you want to serve your oatmeal. Just wrap your pumpkin in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator overnight.
Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well and place the mixture into the prepared pumpkin. Sprinkle lightly with brown sugar, if desired. Place the pumpkin with the lid on it on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until pumpkin is soft enough to scoop and oatmeal is done.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 1 hour