Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

This is my favorite baked oatmeal yet!  (But I do still love my blueberry baked oatmeal and my pumpkin pie baked oatmeal).  Baked oatmeal is such a healthy, easy meal that tends to be a crowd pleaser.  We have it as a breakfast for dinner often.  The chocolate chips and nuts are optional, but that's how Jeremy and I like our banana bread so that's how I made our oatmeal.  As always, if you're not concerned with calories, a few tablespoons of melted butter stirred into the batter would add even more flavor, but it's still really good without so I don't worry about adding it.  I think my next experiment might be stirring some peanut butter in and making a peanut butter and banana baked oatmeal.  For this (and banana bread) I always use bananas that got super ripe that I stuck in the freezer and then defrosted on the counter the day I am baking with them.  I've heard it makes the texture more moist, plus it's a great way to save those over ripe bananas until you are ready to use them.

-1/2 c sugar
-1 c milk
-2 eggs
-5 mashed bananas (I mashed the defrosted frozen bananas with a fork)
-3 c oats (whole or quick)
-1 Tbsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-2 tsp vanilla
-optional: 1/2 c chocolate chips and/ or 1/2 c chopped nuts
-2 Tbsp brown sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla.  Stir in the oats, baking powder, salt, and optional ingredients (if using).  Spread into a greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle the top with the brown sugar.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.