Oatmeal Cheesecake Banana Splits

While working as a journalist, Kathleen Willcox realized she spent more time on the job thinking, dreaming, and reading about food than anything else, so she enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education. She still writes about pop culture and food but now she works as a personal chef, cooking instructor, event planner, and party cook for catering companies around New York. This dessert came about during a game of “clean out the fridge”: Kathleen broiled bananas atop an oatmeal base for a hot dessert that’s topped with a cheesecake-like mixture of light cream cheese and sour cream.
Directions
1. Coat 6 8-oz. ramekins or ovenproof dishes with cooking spray, and set aside.
2. Combine oats, milk, and pinch of salt in saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until oats are creamy. Divide oatmeal among prepared ramekins, and cool.
3. Preheat oven to broil. Beat cream cheese and sour cream with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Stir in raspberries.
4. Top oatmeal in each ramekin with 2 banana slices. Sprinkle 1 tsp. brown sugar over bananas. Broil 3 to 5 minutes, or until brown sugar is bubbly. Top with cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with almonds, if using.