The flavors of warm, freshly-baked banana nut bread are truly comforting on a chilly winter’s morning. However, the preparation and baking time (upwards of an hour!) have kept me from attempting such a thing on a weekday, when breakfast is always served before seven-thirty (Get up at six to make banana bread? No way.). Here’s a quick, easy breakfast recipe I “concocted” last night, which combines the same delicious flavors of banana, nuts and hint of cinnamon that make banana bread so appealing. Most of the ingredients are mixed together the evening before, making preparation a snap the following morning. Serve up a steaming scoop with a jug of cream or some yogurt (full-fat — none of this 99%-fat-free ridiculousness!) to pour on top.

Banana Nut Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients:
1 large banana
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned, or a combination)
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup butter, preferably unsalted
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:

*The night before…*
1. Thoroughly mash the banana in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, honey, milk, sour cream, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and whisk until smooth (a few lumps of sour cream and banana may remain). Stir in the oats, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Toast nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and barely browned. Once they are cool, chop them into small pieces, then place them, with the flaked coconut, in a small covered bowl until morning.
3. Butter a 9″ x 9″ baking dish and place it in the fridge. All this preparation in the evening really helps save time in the morning, which means… You get to sleep in a little longer! Oh, yeah.
*The following morning…*
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit right away — there’s nothing more annoying than sitting there with your dish all ready to go, waiting on a machine to get itself warmed up!
2. Melt the 1/2 cup of butter in a small pan over low heat. Remove the batter and buttered baking dish from the fridge.
3. Add the baking powder, baking soda and melted butter to the batter and mix together with a fork. Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the toasted nuts and coconut evenly over the top of the batter.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for thirty minutes, until golden brown.

Serves six; the recipe could easily be doubled and baked in a 9″ x 13″ dish.

P.s. I took these pictures all by my own self! *Curtsies to acknowledge thunderous applause*