Crock-Pot Banana-Nut Baked Oatmeal

Serves	4
Prep time	20 minutes
Cook time	2 hours
Total time	2 hours, 20 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Milk
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Breakfast
Website	Adapted from The Faux Martha and A Year of Slow Cooking

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked rolled/old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup pecans (toasted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice powder or pumpkin pie spice (or Alchemy Spice Wake & Bake Blend, which I have recently fallen in love with!)
1/8 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea salt)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup maple syrup (honey would work too)
1/4 cup applesauce (unsweetened-I used homemade, which I also made in the Crock-Pot!)
1 ripe banana (mashed)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
1 Large egg (beaten)

Step 1
Spray the stoneware of a 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray or brush with oil. This is important because failing to do this could result in major stickage. I may or may not have learned this the hard way with another recipe....
Step 2
Stir together the oats, baking powder, salt, and spices in one bowl. Stir together the milk, egg, maple syrup, applesauce, and mashed banana in another bowl.
Step 3
Pour the milk & egg mixture over the dry mixture and stir to just combine. Add the melted butter and the toasted nuts and stir to incorporate.
Step 4
Pour the oatmeal mixture into the Crock-Pot. Set to cook on low. Cook for 2-4 hours, until the center is set. Turn the slow cooker off and allow the oatmeal to sit in the cooker for at least an hour before cutting. Cut into wedges and serve with milk, yogurt, or by itself.