Apple Pie Oatmeal

I still have a lot of canned pie filling from the summer.  At some point, I'm going to do a large batch of pie dough and freeze it for spontaneous use.  All that really keeps me from making a pie a week is whether I feel like making dough.

Seizing on a bit of inspiration, I decided to make a kind of bread pudding with a half-jar of apple filling and a half-recipe of the original baked oatmeal.  That little jar was bothering me whenever I opened the closet.  So do the wide-mouth pints.  It's an aesthetic thing.

I'm also trying to use my canned goods.  I'm not afraid of them spoiling.  I check the seals regularly and nothing is over a year old yet.  You generally get 18 months before product quality starts to fade if stored properly.  The canning just got out of hand this year from playing with the new pot, and I don't know anyone who appreciates home-canned goods as a gift.  I totally get it; if you're not from a family who knows how to home can safely, it's scary to accept that it can be done.

I'm posting here a double recipe, assuming you have a whole can of filling and not just one cup.  The photos will be for my half recipe.

*2/3 C chopped walnuts
2 C rolled or instant oatmeal
*1 can apple pie filling (16 to 21 oz, depending on brand)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 C milk
2 eggs
2 Tb butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Pan spray

1.  Preheat oven to 375º.  Pan spray an 8x8 or 9x9 pan, or a 9" cake pan.

2.  In a bowl, stir together walnuts, oatmeal, salt, and baking powder.  Most pie fillings include spices, but feel free to add more cinnamon, nutmeg, etc to the dry ingredients.

3.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.  Whisk in milk, melted butter, and vanilla.

4.  Stir wet ingredients into dry.  Stir in pie filling until evenly distributed.  You'll notice there's no sugar in this recipe, since the filling brings a lot.  Allow to sit 5 minutes, to allow the oats to start to hydrate.

5.  Pour mixture into prepared pan.  Make sure apples are evenly distributed.  Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or longer if not set in the middle.  When the top springs back when touched, remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing.

Serves 8

Difficulty rating  π