Sweet Craving Remix (or maybe just Rename)

Last week someone posted a recipe on FaceBook for Pecan Cake Bars. I was immediately intrigued because while I am a huge fan of pecan pie, I am not a great maker of pecan pie.  And also, the pie can be too sweet and not nearly as portable as it could be.

Enter, the Pecan Cake BarCrack



The crust reminds me of the Scotch Shortbread I used to pester my mom to let me bake while she was at work. It was so simple and so good!  After the crust is baked partially, you dump the buttery, caramelly, pecan mixture on top and bake for a little longer. It reminds me of the dessert that we saw Trisha Yearwood make recently - she called it "Crack".

I didn't get a lot of good pictures of the Pecan Crack but I did manage to get a bunch of tastes, so you'll have to take my word on this or create some yourself. I left about a dozen bites for the family and took the rest in to the office. I had to as this 8x11 pan contained 3 sticks of butter!!! My office mates seemed happy, happy, happy that I shared this treat with them.

So tonight after dinner I was craving something sweet (Braum's Brownie Fudge Sundae) but I was wanting to make use of the ripe bananas before they were too far gone and I did not want to use 3 sticks of butter. I also wanted something blueberry but not bread or pancakes so I could make this breakfast snack in advance.  So I searched for a banana blueberry cookie recipe.

I got a good one that even called for oats (bonus! fiber!) and only 1 stick of butter.



These were so moist and yummy! I would not describe them as cookies so much as muffin tops. And these are some muffin tops that I can appreciate!



Hope your Harvest Moon Hump Day has been as sweet as mine!

What's Been Up

So David lost his first tooth recently!

We were at the Norman High vs. Norman North game on the 5th when we noticed that David had an adult tooth coming in on the bottom.  He was yelling for the Tigers when I saw it. 2 days later and that baby (tooth) was outta there. I thought he was a bit young to be losing teeth but he is almost 6 so I guess he's right on time.  So we had a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

It came out while he was eating that crunchy peanut butter covered bagel...glad he didn't swallow it!

And there's been a lot of homework and football and soccer and basketball around these parts lately. Even Aubri has homework (and she's in PreK).

Isn't she just the Cutest Thing Ever?

Emi got a new do this past weekend. She wanted longer hair so Ketiesha gave her longer twists. My arms are aching just thinking about the effort it took to weave that hair into Emi's hair for so many hours... but she looks great and she loves her hair swinging when she runs...

She whips her hair back and forth...

And I got my cool t-shirt from the NHS band. I made us girls some tutus to wear to support the Tigers.

Don't mess with my tu-tu!

It was an easy enough no-sew project. I bought a bunch of tulle from the fabric store nearby (so cheap it was!).  I used a head band for Aubri's tutu and some elastic with snaps (used my grommet tool) for mine and Emi's. I just tied the strips of tulle onto the elastic et voila! We are so ready to represent the NHS Tigers now!

P.S. I got some crimson and cream tulle also and will be making us some OU tutus to support our SOONERS!!!

Napa Recap

I didn't have any solid plans outside of getting my work done while in Napa.  I wanted to be able to spend some time with my friend Gail, and I looked up a few yummy spots, but other than that, I was going with the flow.

I landed in Sacramento Monday afternoon and drove an hour to Napa. I was too excited to be hungry before I got to my hotel, but after I unloaded, my stomach started growling so I went in search of food. I was tired and in need of a black top and some decongestant and a bath soak too, so I hit Target and then Whole Foods. This was my first time in WF because the closest one to me is not really conveniently located. I was overwhelmed because I only really needed water, snacks and lunch and my mind wanted to buy 1 of everything.

I showed restraint and looked over every fresh offering at the store. I ended up getting a BBQ tofu salad and some garlic hummus along with a watermelon aqua fresca. Very yummy and satisfying combination.

Yummy Late Lunch

The next day for lunch we went to a place I scoped out online as a must for breakfast. It was a toss up between Grace's Table and Tarla Grill. We checked the menu at both places and Grace's Table was more enticing for us.

We had Fried Squash Blossoms (my first time to have!) and Argentine Empanada for appetizers. So good! I had the special - quiche and soup (tomato bisque) for lunch - and I didn't get any pictures!

That evening my friend Gail cooked us some salmon that her man caught in Alaska. It was as yummy as was the wine she served (yummers!). I don't recall what the first glass was but the 2nd glass was a nice petit-syrah that was just my taste.

It was fun to talk and hang out and meet her man.

Much Needed Nap-a

The last week in Napa was just what the doctor ordered!!

Uh-huh

Well, not really... I'm still not 100%, but I sure enjoyed the wine country and all of its offerings. I also enjoyed hanging with a longtime friend who lives there.

Nolita-san and Gail-san

Thankfully I didn't end up like this any night, but if there was a sign for prone on the couch, it would apply on that last night.



Work wasn't bad at all because it was a repeat of the tasks I did in Paumalu and Virginia. I can't complain because I think it's illegal to complain about working in Napa.

Peaceful Path

And although things were really dry there, there were some really nice lush spots around....

Patio Area Surrounded by Olive Trees and Lavender at Envy

Only Thing Missing Here Was a Hammock

Still recovering from "jet lag" so I will recap the specifics in the next post.

Like a Phoenix

I finish my vanilla matcha latte, make a quick trip to the women's room and just make it back to the gate in time to hear that our plane is within distance from the airport. Yes! An hour late but I am not complaining because my body is still trying to catch up with my mind.

I was not ready to leave this morning...

This last month has been scary and brutal. In my last post about my Virginia trip I mentioned my diagnosis of bronchitis. Well, the cough and congestion has been taking its sweet time in leaving me. 

It started with some innocent enough throat clearing after mango margaritas at La Hacienda in Frisco during a basketball tournament weekend. Then the day before I headed to VA, I just had a dry cough. I didn't concern myself much and didn't treat myself to anything more than Emergen-C. In the sleepless days to follow, I was clamoring for AlkaSeltzer cold meds and trying to ease my cough with hot showers while away. 

When I returned home from my trip with a worsening cough, I stepped things up a bit taking puffs off of Scott's inhaler and helping myself to Emi's leftover cough syrup from her bout with bronchitis in January. There was little relief and I was choking on the mucus (I know, TMI). I was worried that my cough was more serious so I went to Urgent Care that Sunday where the doctor diagnosed me with bronchitis and sent me home with antibiotics, prednisone and my own cough syrup with codeine so I could sleep.

I took the meds dutifully for a few days, but 5 days later following last dose of prednisone, I coughed so hard I hurt something. Dr. Google assures me it was costochondritis. Then I started waking myself up in the middle of the night gasping for air.

I would fall asleep mostly on an incline (desperately wanting to flip over onto my stomach) and wake up 2 hrs later with the feeling that there was a film of saran wrap over my windpipe. I would gasp and panic and wake Scott up and eventually when I exhaled and tilted my head back, I could breathe and shakily talk. I used the inhaler to try to help open things up during those episodes.

After the 3rd night of this fun, I headed to the ER to make sure I didn't have pneumonia. At night when reclining in bed, I would experience wheezing from my right lung, the one underneath the painful ribs. It hurt so much to even put a bra on (but I did). The ER doctor x-rayed my lungs and while he heard the wheezing a little, my films were clear and I still had good movement. He concluded that I had Acute Bronchitis and switched my antibiotic from Augmentin to Azithromycin to kick things into gear.

When I asked about the scary gasping for air episodes at night, he said to come in if I experienced it again. I didn't go back to the ER but the gasping for air every 2 hours continues most nights still.

I went to my "regular" doctor a few days later to see if I was experiencing asthma.  The nurse had me blow into a spirometer, gave me a lung treatment (told me to "smoke this") and then had me blow into a spirometer. The lung treatment stirred things up in my lines and I had a coughing fit in the doctor's office, but the doctor said I didn't have asthma, she suspected allergies and said to take Mucinex and she prescribed Singulair which treats asthma but helps with allergies. I took that for just a few nights and it did not prevent my spasmodic coughing episodes at night.

I listened to the advice of a co-worker and tried 24 hour Allegra to address any post-nasal drip from allergies and Mucinex to help clear my lungs. That seemed to provide relief for a few days. I would feel better during the day and then think I was going to die the next morning when I was not getting enough sleep.

I talked with my dad about my concerns and he said he was about my age when he started having allergies. I still don't accept that this is allergies but I was desperate for relief and sleep. He said Mucinex almost killed him and didn't clear his lungs and he recommended Claritin-D. I went back to my doc to check out my very tender right rib and request some Claritin-D. She suspected my Gallbladder (!!!) and called in a script for the anti-histamine and set up an appt for me to have my gallbladder scanned. Can you believe I was actually relieved to hear that it might not be my lung?

So I got 30 days of Claritin-D and have taken exactly 1 dose because I hate the medicine head. I think it helped me a little that night I took it, but I still had some coughing and the next morning I was so detached, I cared about nothing. It was hard to get out of bed and actually go to work feeling so apathetic.

That day on the way home, I picked up a Vick's personal vaporizer and that little device really helped me out. Hot showers and baths have always been a part of the ritual in getting over this health issue, but during the day when I really wanted to hang on the beach or in a steam sauna, this little guy helped me out. Closest thing to rinsing out my lungs that I could do for myself.

So I'm on my way to Napa for work and I'm hoping the grape country will help me recover.... This morning was no cup of tea though. My back and lungs were hurting from coughing and I am sure that in my haste to pack and get ready for my trip that I did not take in enough fluids. Saturday was going along so well I thought I was thoroughly healed up. Then David and I went to Chili's for lunch and that's when I didn't feel so hot. I think sugar and dairy sets me back... wonder what wine will do...

I'm in Phoenix getting ready to board a flight to Sacramento and drive an hour to Napa for work and some play. Even though I feel half dead I am excited about the week!