Baked Oatmeal

In my effort to eat more healthy I've been eating less processed food and that includes those packages of oatmeal. Here is an tastier way to eat oatmeal and it keeps well in the fridge so you can just make it once and eat it all week. Just put some in a bowl and microwave it for about a minute. That's even less time than the packets *wink wink*
Since it's already baked you could just cover it an leave it on the counter but it'll last longer in the fridge.

Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients:

2  cups  uncooked quick-cooking oats
1/4 to 1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoon  cinnamon
1/3  cup  dried cranberries ( if you decide to skip tht craisins I would add more apple peices)
2  tablespoons  chopped walnuts (optional)
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1 1/2  cups milk
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1 large apple, grated using the large holes of a cheese grater or chopped into really small pieces
2  tablespoons  butter, melted
1  large egg, beaten
Real maple syrup
Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, cranberries, walnuts, and baking powder; set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, grated apple, butter, and egg. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.
5. After if you went light on the brown sugar drizzle a couple tablespoons worth of maple syrup on top to amp up the sweetness with a natural sweetner. (Please Please get the REAL maple syrup, it tastes SOO much better. I know it's more expensive, at walmart i get it for 6.75 instead of buying the fake crap for like 1.50, but it's definently worth it. It's sweeter and has better flavor, you use less than half of what you would on your breakfast foods than you do with imitation. Plus it's natural and there in no denying that too much processing isn't good for you long term)