The Saga of the 37 Pumpkins - Installment No. 5 - Pumpkin Spice Baked Oatmeal

Jack and Patch sat in the evening darkness, waiting for their father’s breathing to slow and his stalk to grow limp. Only when their father was asleep could the two teenage boys discuss their plans. Their rigid bodies revealed their intense unease; their eyes were hard and angry. Since their mother’s death a few weeks ago, the boys had become like embittered old pumpkins, the sort who hadn't received enough water in their youth but managed to survive by leeching the moisture from other plants.

 They felt nothing for themselves. Their minds had none of the supple weakness that gives life its color. They had ceased to be feeling pumpkins, and had become shells for suspicion and vengefulness. They only lived for the sake of a cause.

That cause was revenge. 

Gourdon jerked and let out a snore. Jack and Patch looked at one another, their eyes aflame.

“Do you think that Cucurbita’s causing all of this?” Jack hissed.

“No, no, of course not.”

“Then who is?” 

Patch sighed. “Them.” He looked skyward.

“The keepers?”

“Yes, of course.”

Jack and Patch were silent for a moment. Jack’s stomach was whirled by his anxiety. 

Wasn't it absurd to attest that magical beings plucked pumpkins from the sky and brought them away to transform them into something called pie? 

When did pumpkins first believe in such stories?

In all the patch, there was no one older than Cucurbita, no one more secretive, and no one less worried about her imminent fate.

Of course she isn't worried, Jack thought, because she doesn't have to. Senility was the perfect disguise for an old woman’s diabolical cunning. Jack clenched his stem and glared at his brother, rage rising from his seeds. 

A scream pierced the cold night air.

And then there were 32...

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Pumpkin Spice Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• a pinch of ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup fresh pureed pumpkin (Don't have fresh? Canned will work!)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, pureed pumpkin, butter, and egg. 

Add milk mixture to the oat mixture and stir well. Pour oat mixture into a greased  8 inch square pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until set. 

You should serve this warm, but try some of the leftovers cold- refrigeration brings out the fantastic pumpkin pie flavor. This oatmeal is terrific plain, but you can add fruit, a dollop of yogurt, or a little milk or cream as desired.

Enjoy!

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Not a big fan of oatmeal, but know it's good for you? This baked oatmeal is sure to please.

This is one of the finest variations of a tried-and-true baked oatmeal recipe that our family adores. The top of the oatmeal gets golden brown and slightly crisp, while at the bottom of the pan, the oatmeal is creamy and full of that coveted pumpkin pie flavor.

Recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com