LOVE the lyrics to this song..

"..I don't have time to maintain regrets when I think about the way that He loves us.."

Bask in His love for you in this moment, wherever this post may find you. His love is so great that He knew your life from beginning to end and what you feel in this moment. His love is so great, it kept Him on the cross to take our place. 

Don't let what's been done to you or what you've done be greater than what JESUS did FOR YOU!! 

having fun with journaling with art lately

"..I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." - Jeremiah 31:3

He loves us,Oh, how He loves us. 

He is jealous for me,Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy. 

When all of a sudden,I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,And I realize just how beautiful You are,And how great Your affections are for me.
And we are His portion and He is our prize,Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking. 

And Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,I don't have time to maintain these regrets,When I think about the way...that HE LOVES USOh, How He loves us.. 

song lyrics from "How He Loves" by John Mark McMillan
© 2005 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI))


#changingperspective #eyesliftedup #overflowJESUS #aliveinChrist

Tell your story

If your past is brokenness, sorrow, disappointment or just a mess.. it is exactly what He can use. Our testimony flows from our brokenness.. God's redemptive story in us. This is what God can use to reach the world and be able to share the gospel. It is a beautiful thing! 

Be brave, be winsome, use your influence and share your story.  You never know what God has planned. 

#shareyourtestimony #overflowJESUS

A Life Not My Own

...so much better. When I lay my life down, I have purpose. Beautiful purpose and know my life will have meaning in this world, at the hands of God to use how he sees fit.  

What a jolting quote.  At least to me it was.  God has been changing my perspective on our brokenness and this is transformational.  To thank Him for the brokenness of our hearts and lives.  Even writing that seems almost too radical.  But an obedience to the word of God is the one thing that has brought radical change in my life. This goes right along with that our lives are not our own.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we lay down ourselves and life becomes about His purpose through us.  How can you use this broken life, Lord?..  it is Yours today.    It becomes less about self, our desires.  It brings healing to how you view your past or even present.  He has a master plan.  And ultimately it is for beauty, His beauty.  It's His beauty He desires to bring to our lives out of the ashes.  Freedom from brokenness.  That he might be glorified in the earth. 

Isaiah 61:3 (esv)
to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

There is no such thing as a private life, or a place to hide in this world, for a man or woman who is intimately aware of and shares in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. God divides the private life of His saints and makes it a highway for the world on one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves. We are called into intimacy with the gospel, and things happen that appear to have nothing to do with us. But God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way. If you refuse, you will be of no value to God in His redemptive work in the world, but will be a hindrance and a stumbling block.

The first thing God does is get us grounded on strong reality and truth. He does this until our cares for ourselves individually have been brought into submission to His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn’t we experience heartbreak? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God’s purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.”

If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?
-Oswald Chambers

I don't know about you, but "a slow death through self-pity".. I was bound in that for a long time. And when I look around today, I see most of the church is too.  May we grab hold of Jesus' hand and spend time with Him.  In the word, in worship, in doing good works... we are changed in only His presence.  I'm challenged in that beautiful word, how about you? 

Beautifully Broken

Our brokenness is the bow that God uses to launch the arrows of freedom into others lives. - Louie Giglio 

Love that quote.  Total "aha moment" for me there.  Changing perspective to view brokenness not as weakness or disappointment but what God relishes in us to use in this broken world. God desires that no one should perish. Your story, your past, your mess, your brokenness is exactly what God can use to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel and bring others to salvation.  The mystery that He heals the brokenhearted, sets the captives free.. share your story. Start with where you were broken.. that's a connecting point to a broken world. 
Let's be Jesus and the change in this world, not a Christian version of the world!

God uses most for His glory those people and things which are most perfectly broken. The sacrifices He accepts are broken and contrite hearts. It was the breaking down of Jacob's natural strength at Peniel that got him where God could clothe him with spiritual power. It was the breaking the surface of the rock at Horeb, by the stroke of Moses' rod, that let out the cool waters to thirsty people.
It was when the three hundred elect soldiers under Gideon broke their pitchers, a type of breaking themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to the consternation of their adversaries. It was when the poor widow broke the seal of the little pot of oil, and poured it forth, that God multiplied it to pay her debts and supply means of support.
It was when Esther risked her life and broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court, that se obtained favor to rescue her people from death. It was when Jesus took five loaves and broke them, that the bread was multiplied in the very act of breaking, sufficient to feed five thousand. It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pent-up perfume filled the house. It was when Jesus allowed His precious body to be broken to pieces by thorns and nails and spear, that His inner life was poured out, like a crystal ocean, for thirsty sinners to drink and live.
It is when a beautiful grain of corn is broken up in the earth by DEATH, that it's inner heart sprouts forth and bears hundreds of other grains. And thus, on and on, throughout history, and all biography, and all vegetation, and all spiritual life, God must have BROKEN THINGS.
Those who are broken in wealth, and broken in self-will, and broken in their ambitions, and broken in their beautiful ideals, and broken in worldly reputation, and broken in their affections, and broken ofttimes in health; those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn and helpless, the Holy Ghost is seizing upon, and using for God's glory. "The lame take the prey," Isaiah tells us.It was when the three hundred elect soldiers under Gideon broke their pitchers, a type of breaking themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to the consternation of their adversaries. It was when the poor widow broke the seal of the little pot of oil, and poured it forth, that God multiplied it to pay her debts and supply means of support.It was when Esther risked her life and broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court, that se obtained favor to rescue her people from death. It was when Jesus took five loaves and broke them, that the bread was multiplied in the very act of breaking, sufficient to feed five thousand. It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pent-up perfume filled the house. It was when Jesus allowed His precious body to be broken to pieces by thorns and nails and spear, that His inner life was poured out, like a crystal ocean, for thirsty sinners to drink and live. It is when a beautiful grain of corn is broken up in the earth by DEATH, that it's inner heart sprouts forth and bears hundreds of other grains. And thus, on and on, throughout history, and all biography, and all vegetation, and all spiritual life, God must have BROKEN THINGS. Those who are broken in wealth, and broken in self-will, and broken in their ambitions, and broken in their beautiful ideals, and broken in worldly reputation, and broken in their affections, and broken ofttimes in health; those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn and helpless, the Holy Ghost is seizing upon, and using for God's glory. "The lame take the prey," Isaiah tells us.

How beautiful is that perspective? That is from a devotional Streams in the Desert a friend gave me and just perfectly illustrates where God has been taking me and changing my perspective on my brokenness.  I always viewed it as my handicap, something I was unfortunate to go through and had to learn from. Move on, overcome it and in the past.  Almost shameful.  Actually, it was exactly that.. SHAME.   It was what I thought isolated me from others.  And what a lie that is.  It is the very thing that God uses to connect us with others and even bring freedom into each other's lives.  I am amazed at how the things of God are opposite of this world. The enemy wants us to keep everything in the dark, hidden.  His main tools are isolation and shame. We need to strive against this.  

Sharing can seem overwhelming.  I believe we need God's help with this.  I believe God not only creates divine appointments when we ask but he also can give us boldness to step out of our comfort zones and share with others.   A prayer that I have found that has changed my life comes from Paul in Ephesians.  Point of reference, Paul writing from jail, asking the church for prayer.  I love that he doesn't ask them to pray for release from jail or his bondage.. that really shows his heart.  His trust and faith in God.  He knew his circumstances were in God's hands and he rested in that.  But what he did pray for was that when he opened his mouth that he would be able to boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel.. salvation.  He knew it was a mystery and he needed God to bring the words.  I challenge you to join with me in praying this daily.  You won't believe what God will do.  

Ephesians 6:19 (amp)  And pray for me, that words may be given to me when I open my mouth, to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news [of salvation],

#changingperspective #brokenness #overflowJESUS #revolutionbeginswithme

Which will you let define you today?

I challenge you to be heavenly-minded, focusing on the Source and not the obstacles or bends in the river. 

If we are going to do what He has called us to do, we've got to believe the truth of His word and not the facts of our circumstances. - Christine Caine

Enjoy this beautiful autumn day in Jesus! xo

Reading

"STUCK" by Jennie Allen. Such a great book and at the perfect time.  Ready to do work.

"Women are hurting. A lot of us feel stuck. This is not a novel perception- this is human. We are stuck trying to be perfect. Stuck in sadness. Stuck feeling numb. Stuck pursuing more stuff to make us happy. Stuck in something we can’t even name. And most of our stuck places are invisible to the world. Which keeps us from dealing with them.
When I wrote Stuck, I dreamt of creating things that took women to deep places- real places. I think we may have learned so much about God- that we missed actually knowing Him.
I want us to live truth- not just memorize it. And this takes encountering a supernatural God. I pray this study will push you up face to face with Jesus, and in the process you will grow closer to the women around you- going to war with stuck places. The trenches are a good birthplace for the deepest of friendships.
I don’t know that the goal is getting unstuck. Our stuck places are the very places that make us ache for God, leading us to Him and His freedom. God’s never been one to tie up our problems with little pretty bows and send us on our way. We wrestle and as we wrestle on this journey, we depend entirely on him. We are inadequate to fix our lives…. and we have a relationship building God who likes to move in and settle in holes within us that hurt.

I want us to band together as women and grow and live and experience God." - Jennie Allen

Real Pumpkin Spice Latte

PSL is a thing. Yep.  First sign of fall and this Northeaster wants cozy sweaters and a nice hot cup of pumpkin spice latte.  But oh no, not from Starbucks.  Way too sweet for me.

While this is Starbuck's inspired, it resembles it not so much.. this version is much healthier, as sweet as you like and a whole lot of spice and wholesome real pumpkinyess (yes, that's a word). 

Recipe Notes:  
Now while you think the black pepper might be an odd addition.. it is really necessary to cut through the pumpkin and creaminess and give it a bit of edge that I find most delicious. Without it, it's just flat. And, yes there is cinnamon in pumpkin pie spice blend.. but it needs more to make this girl happy. The extra bit just makes it so good. 

Cream vs. Milk..  Some days I make this and simply add it to my regular coffee.  If I do that, I use cream and not as much as if I were using milk.  Now a true latte.. you will want to use 1 cup of milk per serving, so you will need to up that leaving the rest of the recipe the same.   Often that is too much milk for me, I like my coffee to taste more coffee-ish.. so just a little cream will do. 

Also can be made in a big batch and stored in the fridge.  Heat with milk or cream and coffee in a saucepan. Or quickly warm in the microwave, if you're into that, and simply swirl into your ready made coffee or espresso.  

Real Pumpkin Spice Latte  

Serves 2

• 3 T. canned pumpkin
• 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 t. cinnamon 
• 1/8 t. ground black pepper
• 2 T. sugar  
• 2 T. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. half and half OR 2 c. whole milk (see note above)
• strong brewed coffee OR espresso

In a small saucepan over med heat, whisk canned pumpkin and add in spices and sugar.  Cook 2-3 minutes.  Add in vanilla extract.  Whisk in cream or milk, depending on your choice of coffee or espresso.  
Strain into coffee or espresso, top with whipped cream & sprinkle of spice. Enjoy. 

The healthy roundup.. Organic canned pumpkin, spices, sugar & vanilla. 

Raw canned pumpkin, add spices and sweetener over med heat.
You can substitute any sweetener you like.  Here I am using raw sugar
but I love to use honey, too.   

Key is to cook the pumpkin and the spices together.
Raw pumpkin is not a great taste, cooked is so much better.
Don't skip this step!

Looking good.. ready to add the cream or milk. 

Cream, half and half, milk.. your choice, whisk it in.
Here I am using half and half.  

Strain this mixture into your coffee. 

Topped here simply with cinnamon.
You could add whipped cream, of course. 

Anti-Inflammatory Health Tonic

This is a new batch that I tweaked of this recipe.  Wanting to add in a few more ingredients for their health properties, and it came out really delicious.  

We are taken down with a summer cold/flu monstrosity that has me aching, fatigued, runny nose, burning throat, loss of voice, head and heading toward chest congestion if I don't take care.  About 4 years ago, I completely gave up medicine and have resorted to a more complete Ayurvedic or Hippocrates belief.. "Let food be thy medicine".  I have a health tonic that I drink regularly in the winter at least every 2 days and I did not get any of the nasty colds or flus that went by.  And there were a lot! Having a 5 year old, we are in contact with germs quite regularly, like it or not. Still thinking about that bubble we should probably live in. No seriously, we didn't catch much.  Til now. Which when I think back, I have not been taking my super immunity boosting drink since cold weather left.  Hmm. I do believe it works.  

Well, back to the tonic.   This tonic has a base of turmeric, ginger, lemon, cinnamon, cardamon and garlic.  Sweetened with honey and balanced out with some lemon juice at the end of the simmering time, makes this drink actually enjoyable.  Well, it's not ice cream.. but still enjoyable in a healing, soothing way. 

Enough said, give it a try and get on the road to better already. 

Turmeric-Ginger Tea

1 piece of fresh turmeric root (1-2" piece), grated (or 1-2 t. powder) 

1 piece of fresh ginger root, (1-2" piece), grated

peel of 1 organic lemon 
juice of peeled lemon (easier if you peel first, then juice)

1 clove of garlic, smashed or use garlic press (important to let sit 5-10 minutes to allow the allicin to produce!!)

1 t. cardamon

1 piece of cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a pan with 2 cups of water, bring to boil.  Reduce and simmer for 8 minutes. Strain some into a cup adding lemon juice and honey to taste. 

Notes: 

I drink my 1st cup hot and place the rest in the fridge.  Later I can either heat up or enjoy iced.  It is good both ways. 

When making tonics, I believe it is crucial to use top quality organic ingredients.  Turmeric is not readily available at grocery stores but I usually find it at the health food store or farm stand. 

Cardamon I purchase at the grocery store in the Natural Foods section.. in the bulk spices section.  There I find organic cardamon.  I love it here and in chai. Yum!

Cherry Mojito Punch & Mocktail

Getting ready for a friend's baby shower this weekend.  Trying to think of punch recipes and going through the archives, thought I should post this as it is a delicious and refreshing option for the punch bowl!  Utilizing all the juice options out there..  This recipe is a good base for taking it several different ways, depending on the flavor you choose.  The original recipe is made with Ocean Spray Cran-Cherry Cocktail.  It is a great place to start.  But there are a lot of other options.  I don't necessarily buy from the Cran spray food giant.. but tend to lean more toward the healthier or organic choices out there.  But in a pinch.. this is a quickie that works.  For the shower this needs to be a mocktail (non-alcoholic)  but this made with vodka would be delicious, too.. if you wanted to spike it up.  Martha's Cherry Mojitos recipe that I posted here is another seriously delicious, but boozy option I used to make often.  

Cherry Mojito Mocktail and Punch Recipe

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 

4 oz. Ocean Spray® Cran-Cherry Cocktail
5 mint leaves
2 oz. Ocean Spray® Sweet & sour mix (or Mrs. T's)
2 oz. lemonade
Shake and pour into a 16 oz. glass (mason jars work great)
Add more ice 
Top with 1 oz. club soda and garnish with a mint sprig


For a large punch bowl add

4 (32 oz.) bottles of Cran-Cherry
1 (1 liter) bottle of Sweet & Sour mix 
1 (32 oz) bottle lemonade
1 bunch of mint, leaves separated off stems
Mix together, Add ice
Top with 1 liter Club Soda

The designer touch... Add some halved, pitted (fresh) cherries and mint sprig for garnish.

What to do with all those easter eggs! "Egg Stuff" + White Sauce 101

Us girls being artsy.. we love to dye easter eggs.  And that usually leaves us with a whole mess of hard-boiled eggs.  
I love to use them in the next couple of weeks in egg salad sandwiches, a hearty, chopped salad with eggs and even a delicious spinach salad with hot bacon dressing.   These are all good uses for the left over egg dilemma.  However, this recipe is one of my favorites.  Growing up, my mom would make it for dinner and usually when my dad was not going to be there.  That's when we had quiche or any egg based meal. We called it "Egg Stuff" when we were little.  

It is a delicious and easy dish.  Actually, quite "elegant" with the bèchamel or white sauce. I love it for a brunch; the ladies who lunch really love it.  I don't think I've ever come across one person who knew what it was or had it before.  My mother said my grandma Blount would make it.  It does seem to me like something you would learn in Home Economics back in the day.  I want to wear a vintage apron when I make it.  

If sauces from scratch scare you.. This is a good sauce to learn and know. From this basic white sauce recipe, you can go a dozen different ways.  The addition of cheese and you're heading toward an amazing nacho dip that's not processed (love that!).. or macaroni and cheese.  Creamed chipped beef (no, thank you for me.. but that may be your sort of thing!)  Adding different broths.. you come upon dishes like Seafood bèchamel over rice, chicken divan with broccoli, chicken potpie.  Certain broth additions can be the beginning of many different cream soups. The list goes on and what I am saying is this is a good basic to know.   

We grew up using Campbell's cream of chicken, mushroom, broccoli.. soup for just about any recipe and casserole.  This white sauce is where you begin to learn to replace that processed, msg loaded crap with whole ingredients.  I used to make chicken pot pie using cream of chicken and broccoli soup, then when I started this whole foods healthier journey I had to figure out how to replace the processed ingredients in my cooking.  What amazed me was how easy it is.  Recipes like this are so darn simple, I even have them memorized.  
2 tablespoons of butter + 2 tablespoons of flour + 1 cup of milk + little salt and pepper..  and you're there.  Delicious Bèchamel 101  
(Don't think there's MSG in there?  Do you see "yeast extract"? Then it is.  That's a marketing term to get around using "MSG" which has become a worrisome ingredient for consumers. Definitely something I want to avoid especially in a child's diet with a growing brain.) 

Well, if you give "Egg Stuff" a try... let me know what you think! 

Egg Stuff + Basic White Sauce 101 (Béchamel)    

(serves 4 generously)

4-6 Hard Boiled Eggs

2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 cup Milk
White pepper, to taste

8 slices of Bread, toasted (2 per person)

In a saucepan, melt butter over med high heat.  Sprinkle flour over and whisk.  Add salt. Cook slowly 2-4 minutes.  (this is important, as it gets rid of the uncooked flour taste).  

Meanwhile, peel hard boiled eggs and separate the whites from yolks.  (I use a butter knife for this task.. cutting through whites just to yolk.. open up and yolk comes out whole.) Set yolks aside. Roughly chop whites. 

After flour and butter has cooked for 2-4 minutes..  whisk in milk slowly.  Continue to cook til thickened.  (About 2-4 minutes) Note: if you cook too long and it's too thick .. you can always thin with a little milk. Be Warned!  Add a Tablespoon at a time.. if you add to much, you quickly can have a thin sauce and you can't add more raw flour to thicken. 

Taste to see if you need to add more salt.  (Ending here.. you have a basic white sauce.  Continue on for "Egg Stuff") Stir in chopped egg whites.  

Spoon warm over toast.  Using a mesh strainer (see photo below), scrape yolks through strainer with fork and let it "snow" over the white sauce on the toast.  (the only time yellow snow is good!)

Sprinkle with Pepper... and serve. 

Melt 2 Tablespoons of Butter in saucepan. 

Sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons Flour.

Whisk and let cook 2-4 minutes.

Add 1/4 sea salt.

Add 1 cup Milk.

Peeling the eggs.  For easter egg dying we are forced

to buy store-bought organic white eggs as our usual

cage free brown eggs don't dye very well.

Separate the yolk from the whites.  This is where you can

see the difference between pasture-raised eggs and even store-bought

organic.  The yolks in these eggs barely have any colour! 

Add whites into white sauce.

Spoon over toast.

Using a metal strainer and fork push yolks through

to make a delicious yolk dusting. 

Oh, so good. 

Fennel and Apple Salad

This is one of my favorite salads.  It is super fresh and crispy and oh so good.  The fennel has a slight anise flavor and paired with the crisp apple and the tart juicy dressing with orange essence.. it's simply delicious.  Super easy to make, too. 

Fennel is a super healthy! Come on, you know I am going there.  Real quick with a link if you want to read more about this super food.  

Great source of vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium.  In addition, it is a phytonutrient. Shown to reduce inflammation and to help prevent the occurrence of cancer.  There is a biological mechanism that shuts down the intercellular signaling system called tumor necrosis factor.. alright, I don't know how to explain all this.  Go here and read about it. 
Now for the recipe. 

Recipe notes:  
If you don't have orange marmalade.. you can sub honey and splash of orange juice.  

Fennel and Apple Salad

1 fennel bulb, sliced thin 
1 apple, sliced thin

In mason jar..
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup grape seed oil
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 t. dijon mustard
1T. orange marmalade
S + P

... Shake til emulsified and pour over the fennel and apple.  Toss together and serve.  
(This makes more dressing than you will need but it's great on any salad)

Super yummy additions that take this over the top:  
Orange sections
walnuts
blue cheese crumbles

Healthier Baked Oatmeal with fruit

Made this for Sunday School and it got rave reviews, so I thought I would post.  This recipe is inspired by my mom's baked oatmeal which is delicious but way to sweet for me.  This is a healthier version and I think she would love it too.  Using whole oats not instant makes a difference.  They hold their structure way better and you end up with a better texture than the instant.  Plus, they are way better for you.  I love using the banana on the bottom, it adds a lot of sweetness so you don't need as much sugar.  
What I love about this recipe and you will too.. is not only are there endless possibilities depending on the fruit, spices you choose but it's a delicious and easy make-ahead baked breakfast, perfect for gatherings.  
As far as berries, frozen or fresh both work well here.  Which makes this super easy. We use a variety from our frozen stash of summer berries or a bag of Trader Joe's Very Cherry Berry, which is amaze. Stone fruit, fresh or frozen works really well too.  We love this with peaches.  Just with blueberries is super yummy too. 
I like to serve it warm with a little cream to pour over.    It can also be made ahead of time which makes it great for a holiday breakfast gatherings or brunch.  Can be doubled.  

HEALTHIER BAKED OATMEAL

Fruit:

2 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups (frozen or fresh) Berries or stone fruit (frozen or fresh) 

Dry ingredients: 

2 cups whole rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted and chopped (divided)
1/4 cup natural cane sugar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Wet ingredients: 

2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (divided)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1)  Preheat the oven to 375°F   Butter the inside of an 8-inch square baking dish.

2)  In a bowl, mix together the oats, 1/4 cup of the walnuts, if using sugar instead of maple.. add the sugar here, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

3)  In another bowl, whisk together the milk,  if using maple syrup instead of sugar.. add the syrup here, egg, vanilla extract and half of the melted butter.  Set aside.

4)  Arrange the sliced bananas in a single layer at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top. 

Cover the fruit evenly with the oat mixture. 

Pour the milk mixture over the oats gently, so that it is evenly distributed. Jiggle the dish to make sure the milk mixture is throughout the oats. 

Scatter the remaining berries and walnuts on top.

5)  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.  Drizzle the remaining melted butter on the top and serve. 

This dish can be made ahead the night before and reheated in the morning.   What I like to do is assemble the banana, berry and dry oat layer in the baking dish, cover and place in fridge.. In another bowl, Mix together the wet ingredients, cover and place in fridge.  In the morning, pour the wet mixture onto the oat mixture, top with berries and walnuts and bake.  

kids can help on this step.. Scarlett is practicing good knife skills

slicing a banana with a butter knife.  Layering them in a

buttered 8x8 baking dish.

Pour the oats over the berries and bananas. (Forgot to

photo the bananas with the berries, but I think you can imagine)

Pour the wet ingredients over the oats, tap the dish to be sure
the milk mixture is evenly distributed through the oats.

Top with remaining berries and walnuts.  Ready to bake.

All done, cut a scoop and cover with a little cream.