Have you ever had Bananas Foster? It’s a dessert often flambéed at your tableside in fancy restaurants. Banana pecan oatmeal is kind of like Bananas Foster, without the ice cream, dark rum, or the dramatic presentation with fire. Instead of ending your day with caramelized bananas over ice cream, you can start your day with a similar tasty concoction served over old-fashioned or steel-cut oatmeal.

When I discovered Trader Joe’s Steelcut Oatmeal in the frozen foods section, banana pecan oatmeal got a whole lot easier to make. The oatmeal comes in single-serving pouches and cooks in less than 3 minutes in the microwave.

You can certainly slice the banana into bite-sized pieces, but I like to split them down the middle.  I’ve done this ever since I learned that they easily split lengthwise into three segments. Peel the banana, and stick your finger into one end. The banana will split into three as you gently press it apart.  It’s a great party trick for non-believers.  Then I break the sections into bite-sized pieces.

Active time: 15 minutes              Total time: 15 minutes

Specialized One-Butt Kitchen Utensils

• You’ll need a skillet to cook the carmelized bananas and pecans.  When my old non-stick skillet started sticking, I checked reviews on Cook’s Illustrated. I bought the one they rated the highest out of the 10 they tested, a Non-Stick Skillet with Lid made by OXO Good Grips.The 12-inch skillet works well for this recipe, and it also comes in 8-inch and 10-inch sizes.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 servings steel-cut or old-fashioned oatmeal, prepared according to directions on the package (Trader Joe’s Frozen Steelcut Oatmeal is my favorite.)
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup pecans
• 1 banana, sliced or finger-split lengthwise and broken into bite-sized pieces

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add brown sugar, pecans, and bananas.  Cook over medium heat until bananas are soft.  Put oatmeal in a bowl, and top with the hot banana mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy.