Rustic Bruleed Oatmeal with Caramelized Bananas

Life doesn't always go as planned, nor is it always perfect. I'm just a font of wisdom this morning, eh?  I mention it because the last week of my life has been absolutely perfect. I didn't have to worry about a thing the day of my wedding. I only pulled my bridal diva card once, when my sister and maid of honor couldn't find a Starbucks for my latte and so got me a Dunkin Donuts latte. Don't worry, the other bridesmaids pitched in and soon got me my grande soy latte. Funny, it makes me sound like a Starbucks person, which I'm not particularly. I'm priviliged to live in an area with an abundance of quality independent coffee shops but I wasn't about to send my bridesmaids 20 minutes to the next town over for a soy latte, although I considered it.

My wedding day was perfect.  It was followed by a week of this:

It's really hard to miss the lack of internet access at times like these. 

Suffice it to say that this week of perfection has served like a camera flash to obscure the other details of my life. As my eyes readjust to the light of normal life all the little things are slowly coming to light. For now, though, I'll relive one perfect morning with you.

Make this oatmeal the next time you're in a cabin with no internet access and an unobscured view of the mountains outside your bathroom window, for heaven's sake. Or make it for yourself and your loved ones in your pajamas as soon as the weather turns chilly.

Bruleed Steel Cut Oats with Caramelized Bananas

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 3 cups water
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup dairy (I used hazelnut half and half, which was delicious, and milk)
• Sugar for bruleeing (turbinado would have been ideal but I only had granulated. Use turbinado if you have it, the textures will be great.)
• 1 banana, cut into thick diagonal slices
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Preheat your oven broiler. Move your oven rack to the topmost position where your baking dish can still fit under the broiler element.
2. Bring the oats and water to a boil in a 3 quart saucepan. Turn the heat to low so that the oats are just barely simmering and simmer for 20-30 minutes, depending on how "al dente" you want your oats.  Start tasting after 20 minutes. Stir in the dairy and bring back to a simmer.
3. Transfer the oats to a cast iron pan or other oven-safe pan.  Broil for 8-10 minutes, checking often so that the sugar does not burn.
4. While the oatmeal is broiling, melt the butter and sugar together in a small (8 or 10 inch) skillet over medium heat.  Lay your banana slices in a flat layer in the skillet and do not disturb for 3-4 minutes so that they get a lovely golden brown color.  Flip the bananas and continue cooking.  
5. Serve your oatmeal with the bananas, some warmed milk or cream, and whatever fruit you have on hand.