Overnight Baked Oatmeal

February. The dead of winter. Vermont February is honest in a way that even January is not: January pretends it might let up. February does not pretend. The thermometer went to twelve below Wednesday night, which I know because I got up at two in the morning to check the stove and looked at the outdoor thermometer out of habit. Twelve below, clear sky, the stars extraordinary in the way that very cold air makes them — no moisture to soften the light, everything sharp and excessive and real.

The recipe I have been thinking about this week is brown bread. The steamed kind, in coffee cans — not the oven-baked variety, which is a different product entirely. The formula: one cup each of rye flour, whole wheat flour, and cornmeal; a cup and a quarter of buttermilk; a third cup of molasses; a teaspoon of baking soda; a teaspoon of salt. Mix until just combined. Batter into well-greased coffee cans, the 29-ounce size. Tie a foil lid on each can with kitchen twine. Set in a pot of simmering water, water halfway up the cans, covered, for three hours. Check the water level once an hour. This is the part people forget. The pot runs dry and then you have baked rather than steamed bread, which is not the same thing and does not taste the same thing.

The result is a dense, dark, slightly sweet bread that has no business being as good as it is. My mother served it with baked beans. I serve it with baked beans. The combination is New England's answer to the question nobody else thought to ask: what if a meal were also a comfort? The answer is this. Beans and brown bread on a February Saturday night with the woodstove going and nothing outside that requires your attention. This is the whole answer.

Helen made chicken and dumplings Wednesday — her version uses thigh meat because breast dries out and thighs forgive you. The dumplings are rolled, not dropped, cut into small squares and added to the simmering broth until they billow and go soft. James ate an entire bowl when David and Karen came by Sunday. It is the age when you first notice that a small person has opinions about food that are distinct and genuine, and James's opinion about chicken and dumplings is strongly positive, which shows good judgment. He has his grandfather's palate, which Helen says is not a compliment and which I take as one anyway.

Eight weeks until maple season. The sap is waiting in the trees. I have tapped these maples every March for over forty years. I intend to tap them for many more.

The brown bread takes three hours to steam and asks nothing of you except that you remember to check the water level. The overnight oatmeal asks even less — you put it together before bed, and by morning, when the stove has been running since five and the thermometer outside still reads something unreasonable, it is already done. That kind of preparation feels right in February. You set things in motion the night before because you know what the morning will be, and you want something waiting for you that requires no decision-making, only eating.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours 55 minutes (including overnight rest) | Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or diced apple)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the rolled oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg until evenly mixed.
Whisk wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, beaten eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
Assemble the dish. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the dry oat mixture evenly in the dish. Scatter the blueberries (or apple) and walnuts over the top. Pour the wet mixture evenly over everything; do not stir.
Refrigerate overnight. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. The oats will absorb the liquid and swell.
Bake in the morning. Remove the dish from the refrigerator 15 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until the top is set and lightly golden and the center no longer jiggles.
Rest and serve. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into portions. Serve warm, with a drizzle of maple syrup or a splash of cold milk if you like.

Nutrition (per serving)

Overnight Baked Oatmeal — The Warmth You Prepare Before the Cold Sets In