Recipes – Page 3 – The Pajama Chef

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

February 5, 2018June 6, 2018 Sarah

Easy and always enjoyed, this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is almost constantly in our fridge! My toddler can’t get enough, and the adults in our house think it’s pretty tasty too.

Easy and always enjoyed, this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is almost constantly in our fridge! My toddler can't get enough, and the adults in our house think it's pretty tasty too.

Baked oatmeal is standard in my house. My toddler takes his breakfast to school everyday, and it’s a great choice because it’s a) made in bulk, b) pretty healthy, c) pretty filling, d) a pretty much guaranteed hit. I almost wanted to make that a quiz by adding “e) all of the above” but it’s too early for quizzes, is it not? *insert laughing/crying emjoi here* Ha! Anyways this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal is a recipe I’ve made time and time again. Last time, I finally got it together enough to take a few pics for the blog!

Easy and always enjoyed, this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is almost constantly in our fridge! My toddler can't get enough, and the adults in our house think it's pretty tasty too.

I’ve tweaked the original to suit our tastes, and let me tell you… this baked oatmeal is absolutely delicious! Just a few things I want to mention:

The binder in this recipe is made out of flax. Yes, flax. You can use regular eggs if you like, but flax eggs work equally well in recipes like this, so why not? It’s a step towards a vegan and/or allergy friendly recipe, which I always appreciate.
You can choose your milk and fat. Sounds weird, but use whatever you like! Regular milk, almond milk, soy milk… anything goes! Same with the fat (by this I mean butter or oil). I like to use a little butter plus a little applesauce. I wouldn’t recommend all applesauce due to the texture and taste.
As it is written, this recipe is for apple oatmeal. However, you can use many other fruits. Pears! Berries! Bananas! Dried fruit! The sky is the limit.

Easy and always enjoyed, this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is almost constantly in our fridge! My toddler can't get enough, and the adults in our house think it's pretty tasty too.

As you can tell, I use lots of apples in this oatmeal but add them to your preference. Sometimes I will grate the apples so my son eats more, but I do like him to eat various textures and try things on his own without having them hidden so I don’t always do that. He eats this oatmeal with his cute little chubby fingers at school, but I like to eat it in a bowl, with a spoon. 🙂 I enjoy spreading some natural peanut butter on top, warming it up for a minute in the microwave, and then pouring some vanilla almond milk on top. Soooo good! Enjoy, friends!

one year ago: Mocha Oatmeal Cookies
two years ago: Grapefruit-Walnut Sheet Cake
three years ago: Caesar Salad with Fried Chickpeas
four years ago: Chili Relleno Casserole
five years ago: Baked Jalapeno Popper-Ranch Dip
six years ago: Fried Eggs on Pesto Parmesan Toast
seven years ago: Mini Meatloaf

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Servings: 10
Time: 45 minutes
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adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds + 5 tablespoons water (or 2 eggs)
2 1/2 cups milk, any type
2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, coconut) or butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons unsweetened natural applesauce (or additional 2 tablespoons oil or butter)
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large apples, such as Gala or Fuji, diced or grated

Directions:

Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a small bowl, whisk together ground flaxseeds and water to make an “egg.” Set aside for 5 minutes to combine and thicken.

In the meantime, whisk together milk, oil, and applesauce in a large measuring cup. In a large bowl, stir together oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. After flax is thick, fold in flax “eggs.” Pour wet ingredients into the dry ones, then stir to combine. Fold in apples, then pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve warm or room temperature, with milk or maple syrup on top. A dab of peanut butter is also delicious!

Notes:

I usually make this with 2% or skim dairy milk, or plain or vanilla unsweetened almond milk.

Instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg, sometimes I use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.

For the apples, you can peel them if desired, but I don’t. #lazy But, sometimes I do grate the apples so my toddler eats more of them. Haha! Other fruit works in this recipe too, like berries (keep ’em frozen til you stir them in!) or sliced bananas.

Breakfast, Oatmeal, Recipes

Fantastical Food Fight: Everyday Stovetop Oatmeal

January 17, 2018January 15, 2018 Sarah

Everyday stovetop oatmeal… don’t settle for a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. If you have 10 minutes, you can have a delicious, hot bowl of oatmeal. And it’s practically hands free, so you can make it while you’re getting the rest of your day in order.

Everyday stovetop oatmeal... don't settle for a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. If you have 10 minutes, you can have a delicious, hot bowl of oatmeal. And it's practically hands free, so you can make it while you're getting the rest of your day in order. #FantasticalFoodFight

When I saw that the Fantastical Food Fight theme for January was oatmeal, I may have squealed. You see, I love oatmeal SO much. I agonized over what I was going to make for this fun event. A new baked oatmeal recipe? A new overnight oat recipe? Finally try my hand at savory oats (that my husband thinks sound disgusting)? But then I talked some sense into myself. Don’t make it complicated! Many days I just make a bowl of oatmeal on the stovetop. And I’ve never shared my method on the blog! Perfecttt!

I know you can make oatmeal in the microwave, or you can use those instant oat packets, or even use those fancy single serving tubs. There’s a time and a place for all of those (I keep instant oats at work for emergencies, for instance). But most days? I make a quick batch of my everyday stovetop oats for breakfast. My son LOVES oatmeal mornings and so do I. What I love about these oats is how easy they are–literally dump, stir, cook, forget it (set a timer)! I let these oats cook on my stove when I’m running around the house getting ready in the morning… and they are so simple and pretty much foolproof. I also love how creamy they are! Half milk, half water is my preferred liquid ratio for taste and creaminess. I also add some chia seeds and the consistency is so great! I know it’s weird to say oatmeal is luxurious, but these oats are! Lastly, I love how these oats are the perfect vehicle for your favorite toppings. You can find an ultimate list of oatmeal toppings in the recipe notes below, but for starters… here are some of my favorite combos. Fresh blueberries, sliced almonds, and a touch of brown sugar. S’mores. Peanut butter and strawberry jam. Sliced bananas, sliced almonds, toasted coconut, and maple syrup. Fresh strawberries, almond butter, and honey. The possibilities are endless! The toppings in the pictures are diced Bosc pear, sliced almonds, and dark brown sugar. SO good. Enjoy, friends! Hope you hop on my oatmeal bandwagon. 🙂

one year ago: Annette’s Layered Chicken Enchiladas
two years ago: Amish Cheeseburger Soup
three years ago: Healthy Tropical Banana Muffins
four years ago: Cranberry Steel Cut Oats with Caramelized Pears
five years ago: Mexican Cornbread Pot Pie
six years ago: Lasagna Soup
seven years ago: Whole-Wheat Corn Bread

Find more oatmeal recipes at the link below!

Everyday Stovetop Oatmeal

Servings: 1
Time: 10 minutes
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk*
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon chia seeds**
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
any desired toppings***

Directions:

Combine milk, water, oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Stir to combine.

Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes. Do NOT stir… resist the urge! Stir only when the oatmeal starts bubbling, usually about 6-7 minutes on my stove. Allow to cook until oatmeal reaches desired consistency.

Remove from heat and immediately transfer oatmeal to a bowl. Add desired toppings and enjoy!

Notes:

Recipe as written serves one adult. You can scale it up to serve more, or scale it down if the serving size is too big for you. When I’m making some for my toddler as well, I add an extra 2 tablespoons oats, 2 tablespoons milk, and 2 tablespoons water. It doesn’t sound like much but makes enough for him (and he probably gets a little of my portion as well).

*MILK… I usually have both dairy milk and almond milk in my fridge, so this oatmeal works with either. I usually use skim or 2% milk OR unsweetened regular or vanilla almond milk. Any kind of milk should be fine.

**CHIA…The chia seeds help thicken the oatmeal and give it a great consistency. A similar consistency can be achieved with flax or hemp seeds, but I wouldn’t substitute nuts in this step. But you can add them as a topping.

***TOPPINGS…

Fruit: I prefer fresh fruit instead of frozen in my oatmeal. Frozen blueberries or cranberries are the exception–just add them at the beginning of the cooking time. My favorite fruits for oatmeal include: any berries, sliced bananas, diced peaches, diced pears, and grated apples. Sauteed apples are good too, but usually too time consuming for busy mornings.
Dried fruit: Any kind! Soak them in the cooked oatmeal before eating. It’ll change your life!!
Jam: Any kind! Usually when I add jam I find I don’t need other sweetener.
Nuts: Any kind! Sliced almonds are my go-to.
Nut butter: Lots of people love nut butter in oatmeal… I personally am a little iffy on it because it feels too heavy. I can occasionally do a little peanut or almond butter with sliced bananas, or with jam for a pb&j twist.
Coconut: Bonus points if it’s toasted… sometimes I toast extra for a recipe so I can have some on hand for oatmeal.
Chocolate chips: A fun indulgence… usually means I don’t need any other sweetener, or just a tiny bit.
Sweetener: I like about 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup in my oatmeal. My husband uses more like a tablespoon, and I don’t give our toddler any most days. You do you!

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Homemade Chicken Stock

January 15, 2018January 13, 2018 Sarah

Homemade Chicken Stock. Easy, frugal, and utterly delicious!

There’s something magical about making homemade chicken stock. Or broth. Turns out they are actually different things. For better or for worse, I use broth and stock interchangeably. At the end of the day, it probably doesn’t matter. It might just look like some liquid in a jar, but guys…? It’s much, much, more than that. You’re making SOMETHING out of (practically) nothing. Or nothing edible anymore, anyways.

In my opinion, homemade chicken stock is one of the easiest things you can make. All it takes is chicken bones and/or a carcass, vegetables and/or vegetable scraps, water, and a crock pot. And time! Let this simmer for as long as you can. Everything used for this homemade chicken stock is something I would otherwise be throwing away so this recipe is also crazy frugal. That’s all well and good, but the deliciousness of this homemade stock is something that cannot be understated. It’s wayyy better than anything you could buy at the store. It’s absolutely delicious. Whether you use it as the base for soup, for adding flavor to rice, in sauces, or even just sipping by itself (yup!), this homemade chicken stock is the BEST.

Please start saving your veggie scraps (I just save mine in a gallon size ziptop bag in the freezer) so you can try this recipe asap! Then, when your bag is full, just roast a chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken so you can make your own homemade chicken stock. It’s one of my freezer essentials and I use it alllll the time. Enjoy!!

one year ago: Simple Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
two years ago: Apple Cranberry Relish Salad
three years ago: Chewy Ginger Cookies
four years ago: Sweet Potato Chorizo Chile Mac
five years ago: Chicken Tinga Tacos
six years ago: Crock Pot Cran-Apple Sauce
seven years ago: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Easy Homemade Chicken Stock

Servings: 12-13 cups stock
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Ingredients:

bones and carcass from 1 roasted chicken (homemade or store-bought rotisserie)
- note: for food safety reasons, carve the chicken before serving… do not use bones that have been on a plate in your stock
1 gallon-sized bag full of vegetable scraps, saved over time in the freezer… basically the stuff you would otherwise throw away such as:
- carrot ends and peels
- onion ends and skins
- garlic skin
- celery ends and leaves
- bell pepper pieces
- stems or ends of herbs, green onions, or mushrooms
- apple cores
- citrus rinds
- don’t include: lettuces/greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts) or anything dirty or moldy… but veggies past their prime are totally fine!
water
splash of vinegar
freshly ground pepper and salt
dried herbs as desired: parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, bay leaves, etc.

Directions:

Place chicken bones and carcass at the bottom of a large crockpot. Cover with veggie scraps. Add a splash of vinegar, a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and salt, and some dried herbs if desired. Fill crockpot nearly to the top with water, then cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours, preferably 12 or more.

At the end of the cooking time, unplug and remove lid. Allow to cool briefly, then skim off any film or foam. Use a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl or liquid measuring cup to strain out solids to discard. You can strain again with cheesecloth for clearer stock, if desired.

At this point, you have two options:

Divide into desired portion-sized containers – I like using half pint and pint mason jars – allow to cool completely, then refrigerate or freeze. If freezing stock, be sure to leave head space so the jars don’t break. With this method, each jar will have a layer of thickened chicken fat on top that you can use or discard when you use the stock. The jars may also have some residue or grittiness at the bottom of them, as well.
Cover and refrigerate bowl(s) of stock overnight. Scrape the thickened chicken fat off the stock and discard/save as desired, then divide into desired portion-sized containers and freeze. This method eliminates most of the excess fat and residue or grittiness, as most of it rises or falls and can be discarded before freezing.

Notes:

Stock can be frozen indefinitely, but should be used within a week if refrigerated.

There are lots of ideas online for alternate freezing methods based on your cooking needs, freezer space, etc. such as: in plastic ziptop bags, ice cube trays, or muffin tins (maybe even try the silicone ones!).

To defrost half pint or pint sized glass jars of stock, it is easiest to defrost in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours before use. If you need it sooner, submerge in a bowl of cold water (hot can make frozen containers crack!) until you can defrost it enough to transfer to your pot to melt all the way. Or remove lid and microwave jar on 50% power until you can pour it out.

This stock is not concentrated per se, but I do find it to be more flavorful than store-bought broth or stock. So I often will use a little less in recipes and make up the difference with water. Experiment to find what works for you!

Candy, Desserts, Recipes

Peppermint Bark Pretzels

December 21, 2017December 19, 2017 Sarah

Peppermint bark pretzels… a delightful salty-sweet treat! Great for gift-giving, Christmas cookie platters, or a fun cooking activity with your kiddos.