Gluten-free baked pumpkin-apple oatmeal (from scratch)

I thought it would be fun to let the kids scoop out and carve pumpkins. Eh - wrong. They were all grossed out and didn't want to get the "yucky" stuff out. So I did. And I cut the pumpkin in half and baked the halves upside down on a cookie sheet then scooped out the fragrantly soft flesh and pureed it and then it sat in my fridge waiting for me to figure out what to do with it.

Last night I made a very delicious gluten-free pumpkin cake (that one is coming next, promise!). But I still had plenty of left-over pumpkin puree AND two more pumpkins to cut, bake and make more puree with! I had to think fast as to what I can put this pumpkin puree into! Then it hit me - I had planned to make yummy gluten-free oatmeal for breakfast - why not add pumpkin to it? So - here you go!...

Get a glass loaf pan (I used the loaf pan to make regular oatmeal and used a smaller glass bowl to make my son his gluten-free oatmeal in simultaneously). Fill it at least 3/4 full of gluten-free oats (I used Trader Joes GF oats for my son's bowl and Trader Joes organic oats for the loaf pan).

Add 1 tbsp of cinnamon

Add 2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice (or add pumpkin pie spices separately - oh and I use a lot so if you want less flavor don't put as much)

In a small bowl add 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup (and since real maple is expensive I also sub a little of that with brown rice syrup - actually it's a "natural" Log Cabin brand syrup with maple, brown rice and a little, gasp, brown cane sugar in it). Since my son is sensitive to cane sugar I only used pure maple syrup in his smaller bowl.

1 tsp real vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup apple sauce (okay I cheated here - it was pre-made organic unsweetened apple sauce). What is REALLY wonderful is to grate an apple (with a cheese grater) and add that - yum! But I didn't have time this morning to do that so...

add 1/4 - 1/3 cup of raisins, if desired. Also optional is adding some slivered almonds or walnuts, etc...

Then I fill up almost to the brim with water (for those doing casein-free) or milk (or like this morning I used lowfat buttermilk in the big one.

I placed both glasses on a cookie sheet and put in the oven on 350 for 45 minutes. Sometimes it takes a little while to really get it fully baked up. Sometimes I'll bake it for an hour or as long as I can without burning the top. Take out and let cool a bit. Enjoy!