Apple-Cranberry Baked Oatmeal

Yet another online find that I neglected to record the URL for. Sorry 'bout that.

Baked Oatmeal
1 c. steel-cut oats
1/4 c. butter
4 c. hot water
1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
3-4 apples, peeled and chopped
8-10 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
1-2 c. cranberries (fresh or frozen)
3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. pecans, toasted and chopped
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. applesauce (unsweetened)
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine steel-cut oats, 2 Tbsp. butter, and hot water. Set aside.
2. Mix the ginger and cinnamon together.
3. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a pan over medium heat.
4. Add apples, 2-4 Tbsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. spice blend, and 3/4 tsp. salt to the pan. (Original recipes calls for 2 Tbsp. of sugar here, but I used more cranberries so I bumped the sugar up a bit as well.) Cook the mixture until the apples begin to caramelize.
5. Off heat, stir in cranberries. (Original recipe calls for 1 c. but I had some extras so I just threw them in. I think there were close to 2 c. of cranberries in the end.) Set the fruit mixture aside.
6. Add rolled oats, remaining spice blend, nutmeg, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 c. pecans into steel-cut oat mixture.
7. In a separate bowl, combine milk, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla.
8. Fold milk mixture into oat mixture.
9. Grease a casserole dish (or Dutch oven).
10. Spread half the fruit mixture in the bottom of the greased dish.
11. Pour oat mixture over fruit.
12. Top with remaining fruit and 1/2 c. pecans.
13. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.