Lou and I are huge fans of oatmeal. Now I use the old fashioned or steel cut kind, but I grew up on the packets, so our version still has lots of maple syrup, brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Plus dried fruit, slivered nuts, and the highest fat-content dairy I have on hand. Meaning, if I have heavy cream, I use it.

For days when Lou needs a breakfast on the go, I often put her oatmeal in a plastic container and she eats it in the stroller on the way to school. But I can't eat it while pushing the stroller, and I can be a pretty good rival for Lou on hanger and crankiness scales.

Enter baked oatmeal. All the flavor of a bowl of oatmeal, all the portability of a muffin. Baked oatmeal is as versatile as you want it to be - our favorite flavor is this one, but we like apples and cinnamon an awful lot too. It takes about 35 minutes from start to finish, and it is absolutely delicious fresh out of the oven: top with heavy cream or half 'n half and enjoy the heck out of it, with a spoon. You can always reheat your oatmeal bites for 15 seconds in the microwave and enjoy them this way later in the week, as well.

But for the most part, we stick with the handheld version throughout the week. They're filling, and make great lunchbox additions and afternoon snacks. And did I mention they're delicious? Good.

Maple Brown Sugar Baked Oatmeal Bites

Makes about 15

Recipe from Once and Future Home

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ or wheat bran (I use germ)
3 tablespoons flax seed
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff; if you use fake, cut down on sugar)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk (I use 2%)
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon maple extract (if you can't find it, skip it, but it makes for a nice flavor)
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit such as cranberries, cherries or apricots (optional)
1/3 cup slivered almonds or other nut such as chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tin or line it with muffin liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix together. In a small bowl or large mixing cup, mix liquid ingredients. Add to dry ingredients and stir until well combined, and there are no remaining pockets of dryness. There will be some excess liquid. Fold in fruit and nuts, if using.

3. Using a tablespoon, fill each muffin cup with batter - 2-3 heaping tablespoons should do it.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove when tops are golden brown. After removing from oven, allow to sit in muffin tin for another couple minutes to set up. Then remove from tin and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. (Unless you're going to eat some right now. In that case, you won't mind if they break up in the bowl a bit, so you can take them out right away. Allow any you want to eat later as handheld oatmeal bites to cool so they keep their integrity).

5. Store in an airtight container and enjoy all week - if they last that long.

Enjoy!