House Creature #12
Fleece pants and fruit on the bottom
I can’t believe we’re coming up on one year of House Creature! I’m so grateful to you for joining me on this celebration of everything homey.
We have one more Tiny House Creature in 2023, and then in 2024 you’ll notice some changes - as of today, I’ve paused all billing for paid subscribers, so whether you pay monthly or annually, you will not be charged again. House Creature is not going away! I’m changing to a once-monthly schedule so I can prioritize my fellowship work and client projects. I’ll still be in your inbox sharing all my favorite house creature-ie things, just a little less often.
So in honor of the holidays, and these changes coming in the new year, this full-size issue of House Creature is free to all. Spread the word!
And now on to our very cozy breakfast…
Fruit on the bottom baked oatmeal
(yeah, all these pictures have fruit on the top, which is totally just for show. The best way to get jammy delicious fruit: put it under the oatmeal!)
I volunteered at a non-profit in Ann Arbor called the Selma Cafe (RIP) for a few years. It was a cafe run out of a home that invited chefs to cook breakfast and raise money for local farmers. I started out on the waffle maker, but eventually made my way to the “expeditor” position (meaning I was that person that yelled things like, “Two waffles, three omelets all day!” or “Avocado toast on the fly!”)
When I became a professional baker, I got the chance to be the Selma chef for the day. Knowing how busy the morning could be (we often served over 200 people in 3 hours), I chose baked oatmeal as one of my dishes. It was a perfect choice - fully prepared in advance, easily zhuzhed up with a bit of yogurt and fresh fruit, and a big crowd-pleaser.
My one mistake: It was Valentine’s Day, so the day before, I sliced whole apple rounds very thinly, cut the core out in a heart shape, and dehydrated them. I made one for every serving of oatmeal, and it nearly did me in.
Baked oatmeal is a very House Creature-ie recipe because it is sooo customizable. You can swap out the type of fruit, the type of milk, the toppings, the sweetener, and the spices to make it totally your own. Here’s the breakdown:
Base recipe:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup nuts of your choice, toasted and chopped
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp spices of your choice, just cinnamon is fine too
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk of choice
1/3 cup sweetener of choice
One egg
3 Tbsp butter, or vegan butter, melted
Extra flavor of your choice - vanilla, citrus zest, cocoa powder, coffee powder, etc…
2 cups fruit of your choice, frozen is fine
2 Tbsp demerara sugar, or other crunchy topping of your choice.
How to:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and butter an 8-inch baking dish.
Combine the oats, half the nuts, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large bowl.
Whisk together the milk, sweetener, egg, melted butter, and extra flavor components.
Combine the wet and dry mixes. Spread the fruit evenly in the bottom of your baking pan.
Pour the oat mixture on top of the fruit, top with the demerara, and the rest of the nuts.
Bake 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the oats are set.
*** You can make this completely the night before and simply reheat in a 350-degree oven. Or you can partially pre-make it by stopping at step 4 and refrigerating everything until you’re ready to bake.
My personal favorite combo: pecans + flake coconut, maple syrup, cinnamon + ginger, vanilla, and frozen raspberries.
Frozen treats for furry friends: With so many events going on this time of year, our dogs may get a little bored or even anxious if we’re hosting new people in our homes. I’ve been stuffing and freezing toys for Cricket for years, and it really is the perfect treat to keep her busy, calm, and happy. I fill them with canned dog food, moistened kibble, peanut butter, yogurt, fruits and vegetables, treats, etc… then freeze them solid. My three favorite toys to fill are: the ruffwear gnawt-a-cone, the classic kong, and the West Paw Toppl.
Treats for humans: I love New York Times Cookie Week. I watch all the videos, I want to try all the recipes. This year is no different. But if you’re going to just try one, make it Melissa Clark’s gingerbread blondies. They are soft and fudgy, and super easy. I added in the optional pecans, which was a great choice, and skipped the white chocolate drizzle because I thought they were sweet enough. DELICIOUS.
A creepy Christmas novella: If you’re more of a Halloween person who just puts up with Christmas cheer, this short book is for you. I’m listening to The Christmas Guest on Spotify (did you know Premium Spotify users now get 15 hours of audiobook time per month?), and it’s a great little listen. At 2 hours 45 minutes, it’s the perfect creepy Christmas story for a long drive to see family over the next few weeks.
Cozy without the Christmas: If you’re just looking for a book to bring the cozy without any of the holiday stuff, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is that book. It’s very wintery, full of magical creatures, and it’s perfect for reading next to your favorite video of a fireplace.
Decorating tips for newbies: I really appreciated this recent LifeKit episode about how to start decorating for the holidays. Although I’ve been decorating for a number of years, I’ve found that my style has changed over the last couple. This year, I chose not to put up a few items that just didn’t seem to fit anymore, and that got me thinking about what kinds of holiday cheer I would actually enjoy. This podcast episode helped even more, and now I feel like I have a plan for collecting items over the next few years that really fit my Christmas vision.
These are just really great fleece pants, y’all: I have two pairs of these fleece pants, and I wear them November through March. Lightweight but warm, zip pocket in back, tall and petite sizes, and they also have a men’s version (which Peter has and wears all winter too.)
Art Update
I’m working on some of the largest, most detailed pieces I’ve ever made, thanks to my fellowship through Upstream MN and Springboard for the Arts. I’m really enjoying being able to spend lots of time on pieces that are completely my own inspiration. I should have a completed piece or two to share in the next Tiny House Creature!
A very House Creature-ie video
I can’t believe I haven’t shared an Erin McDowell video with you yet. She is my pastry icon. I haven’t made monkey bread in FOREVER, but this video made me want to. This could be a very fun Christmas or New Year’s Day breakfast treat! I’m especially curious about the savory versions, and excited to try some of these unique assembly techniques - enjoy!
See you in two weeks for the next Tiny House Creature! Happy Holidays!