2 Tbs butter or margarine
3 Tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbs dark rum, (optional)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
2 bananas
ice cream or pound cake


Melt butter in a medium skillet. Stir in brown sugar, orange juice, rum (if used), and cinnamon. Bring to a boil; cook and stir over medium-high heat for several minutes, or until mixture is reduced by about one quarter. Sauce will be slightly syrupy.
Peel bananas, split in half lengthwise, then cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces, or slice bananas crosswise into 1-inch chunks. Add bananas to sauce in pan. Cook bananas just enough to heat through, basting with sauce. Do not overcook, or bananas will be mushy.
Spoon bananas and sauce over ice cream or cake. Serve immediately.