Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal

a saturday without syrup.....

I woke up this morning excited to make pancakes.  I knew that it would be the perfect start to an action packed weekend ahead.  Then it happened....I remembered....we have no syrup in this house.  What?!?  The genius in me finished off the last of it, and completely forgot to add it to my shopping list this week.  Boo.  I know.  Hmmm, maybe I should just go out for a breakfast solo this morning and get a big 'ol stack of pancakes the size of my head.  Or, perhaps I will wait for someone to take me for breakfast, that hasn't happened in awhile.  The later is probably not going to happen since the only people awake in this house are the dog and I.   Looks like it's breakfast @ home for me.

My oatmeal this morning is going to have to step up to the plate to make up for the lack of maple syrup.  I need it to be extra special, extra indulgent, and extra awesome.  Time to bring in the big guns....

Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 banana, mashed
2 bananas, sliced


Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
Combine oats, 1/4 cup of pecans, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.  In separate bowl, whisk milk, egg, mashed banana, 1 1/2 Tbsp butter and vanilla.
Line bottom of pan with sliced bananas.  Cover with oat mixture.  Slowly drizzle milk mixture over the oats.  Gently tap dish on work surface to distribute liquid.  Scatter remaining nuts across the top.  Drizzle with remaining melted butter.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until top is nicely golden and oat mixture has set.  Allow to cool slightly.
Serve as is sprinkled with brown sugar, or add almond milk in a bowl.












Serves: 4-6
Adapted from my Baked Berry Oatmeal