Baked oatmeal, loaded with summer berries and lightly sweetened with brown sugar is a great way to start the day. 

Baked Berries with Oatmeal

A few days ago, I was having a conversation recently with our followers on our Facebook page about fall flavors and it turned into a discussion about why we associate certain seasons with certain flavors and foods.

It has only been in recent years that things like fresh strawberries and blueberries are in grocery stores year around. While I do love making and enjoying things in season when I get a craving for dishes with fresh berries it is so nice to be able to find them regardless of time and year and location.

That being said berries are a mainstay in my refrigerator. The other day I had a few things that needed to be used up and baked oatmeal is the perfect way to make sure those berries didn’t go to waste.

This oatmeal recipe isn’t overly sweet and it allows the bright flavors of the berries to shine through.

Baked oatmeal is one of those breakfast dishes I don’t like to oversweeten before making. It is easy to take the sweetness up a notch by topping it with honey or maple syrup when you serve it – if the finished oatmeal needs to be sweetened at all.

Oatmeal is one of my children’s favorite breakfasts and we’ve gathered a huge collection of great oatmeal recipes over the past few years.

My youngest son loves oatmeal so much, there was a phase where he attempted to order it at almost every restaurant we visited.

There was nothing quite like watching the waiter’s face when he requested, “A big bowl of oatmeal, please,” while we are dining at a Mexican restaurant. Luckily, he loves chips and salsa almost as much, so it was easy to distract him.

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Sweet Orange Sauce has been a favorite part of our weekend breakfasts for as long as I can remember. My grandmother always served this sauce over her German Pancakes and over crepes.

Sweet Orange Sauce

Every time I make it, I remember times spent with my grandparents. We pour this sauce over pancakes, waffles, miniature German pancakes and just about any other sweet breakfast food.

This sauce is so delicious, that you’ll find yourself licking the spoon. Just try not to drink the sauce before you have the rest of breakfast ready.

These Cranberry Almond German Pancakes pair spectacularly with this sauce. They are loaded with seasonal flavors, making them one of my favorite holiday breakfasts.

Orange Sauce Ingredients

• water
• orange juice concentrate
• sugar
• cornstarch
• kosher salt
• butter

Orange Sauce Recipe

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients and set them aside. Combine the water and the orange juice concentrate in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk them together and then add the dry ingredients.
2. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently until the sauce is clear and thickened. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Serve warm.

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Have you tried German Pancakes? Served with Grandma’s orange sauce, they’re unforgettable. They are basically the world’s easiest to make giant popovers.

These pancakes are baked in the oven, where they rise tall and they gently fall, instead of being cooked on a griddle like traditional pancakes.

German Pancakes

I remember my grandmother waking early in the morning to start breakfast before anyone else was awake. We’d come downstairs and she’d already be working in the kitchen.

I’d peek through the oven door as the German pancakes rose so beautifully in the oven. German pancakes are a cross between a souffle and an omelet.

What is a Dutch Baby?

These are light airy pancakes with a unique taste. Often called Dutch baby pancakes, these are a real treat and a fun breakfast for a lazy weekend.

Have you made these? German pancakes rise amazingly high and then fall once they are removed from the oven. As a child, it was always exciting to watch the process. I waited years to attempt making them myself.

Once I discovered just how simple they are to make, I had to restrain myself from making them far too often. We love them with powdered sugar, or maple syrup, but my grandmother’s Orange Sauce is our favorite topping of all.

The sides of the pancake will rise high over the rim of the pie plate, as pictured below.

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Remember the year of our zucchini overload? These Zucchini Waffles were the happy result of that abundance.

Crisp on the outside, and fluffy on the inside, homemade Zucchini Waffles are a breakfast (or a dinner!) that we often enjoy when we have fresh zucchini on hand.

Zucchini Waffles

I’ve shared dozens of recipes featuring zucchini and other summer squash over the 10+ years I’ve been sharing recipes here on the website.

These Zucchini Waffles can be made with all-purpose flour or with whole wheat flour. If you choose to use whole wheat, follow the notes in the recipe below.

With plenty of fresh zucchini on hand this time of year, these waffles make for a hot breakfast that the whole family enjoys.

The texture of these waffles is amazingly good. I had no idea what to expect from zucchini waffles when I first tried making them and they did not disappoint.

The zucchini taste is slight and honestly indistinguishable, especially after topping the waffles with butter and maple syrup or waffle sauce. The first time I made this, my baby ate two full waffle squares in the time it took to set the table and prep everyone’s plates.

My oldest son surprised me by announcing that he likes Zucchini Waffles even more than the classic waffles that we usually make.

Zucchini Waffle Recipe

You’ll notice that these waffles contain no oil or butter. It simply isn’t needed here. The shredded zucchini adds a bit of moisture, along with the milk, and egg in the recipe.

Take care when preparing the zucchini and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. I like to place the shredded zucchini in a clean tea towel and wrap it tightly. You’ll be able to easily s