Berry Pie Oatmeal

I've been living in the land of luscious strawberries, and enjoying every minute of it.  But let me tell you, blackberries haven't been doing too bad, either.  In fact, the past two boxes I've gotten have been fabulous.  Juicy, tender and sweet, they last longer in the refrigerator and provide a pleasantly pop-able fruit experience.  They've been so good, I got a little carried away with the berry section of our local market on my last shopping trip.  We ended up with a massive amount of berries that needed to be eaten....today....or else perish.  My frugal budget would not allow that, so I went to my classic fruit breakfast standby - oatmeal.

I had a craving for key lime pie last week and purchased a giant box of graham crackers, a rare attribute of our kitchen pantry.  To the hubs delight, he's been munching happily on the cinnamon graham goodness all week.  So I decided to play up the almost over-ripe fruit and graham crackers and make Berry Pie Oatmeal.  

I was digging the blackberries and while the hubs was feeling strawberry.  But really, you could substitute any fruit you like for this recipe.  Blueberries, peaches, cooked apples, bananas, kiwi....the possibilities are endless.  I like cooking this stove top to achieve the slightly creamier texture.  A bit of milk also adds richness, but without overwhelming the mix-in's.  

So grab your favorite fruit and a box of graham crackers and enjoy this deliciously fast breakfast.

Berry Pie Oatmeal (2 servings)

• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 c water
• 1/2 c milk
• dash salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp brown sugar (depending on how sweet you feel)
• 2/3 c blackberries, strawberries or other berry
• 2 full graham cracker rectangles
• 4 tbs chopped walnuts
• splash milk, brown sugar and additional fruit (optional)

Add oats, water, milk and salt in a medium saucepan.  Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.  Be sure to stir more frequently as the oatmeal thickens so it doesn't stick.  

Remove from heat and add vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar, stirring well to combine.  Add the fruit and gently fold it into the oatmeal. 

Divide between two bowls and top with a splash of milk.  Crush a full graham cracker over each and top with walnuts, fruit and more fruit, if desired.  

This dish keeps really well.  If you want to make a double batch and save, simply omit the extra milk and graham crackers.  Add the milk when you reheat and then top with graham crackers.