Deluxe Brownies Halloween Edition

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My husband makes fun of me just a little for all the traditions that I try to incorporate into our daily lives. Our growing lists of traditions have ranged from special meals around the holidays, commemorative monthly pictures to watch our daughter grow, to Christmas Eve pajamas! I have learned that everyone has traditions or even superstitions that make their day just a little brighter. I must say having these festive brownies around Halloween is a tradition that I am sure my husband will want to keep!

Food H & P:
Brownie mix (makes enough for 9 X 13 pan) made according to package directions
Sweetened Condensed Milk, 14 oz
Peanut Butter baking chips, 10 oz
Candy corn, marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate sauce

Food Rx:
Make brownies according to package directions. When the brownies are nearly finished baking melt the peanut butter baking chips and sweetened condensed milk on the stove, constantly stirring until melted, about 2-3 minutes. When the brownies are finished baking spread the peanut butter mixture on top and sprinkle the candy corn, marshmallows, and sprinkles on top. Lightly press the toppings into the peanut butter mixture then drizzle with the chocolate sauce.

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Variations:
These brownies can easily be adapted to fit other holidays or even school spirits by substituting different baking chips! Using white chocolate chips and sprinkling crushed peppermint and green sprinkles would be a great Christmas version! Dark chocolate chips topped with pink frosting drizzles and candy hearts would bring extra love to Valentine’s Day!

I have learned that each facility I have worked at brings a new set of superstitions. I have worked at places where it was taboo to remove the last discharged patient from the tracking board as that meant it was only a matter of time before your hospital became the drop off for a mass causality event. There are certain restaurants that no longer get ordered from due to the horrible work day that followed the last time a meal was received from that location. I have also seen lucky charms taped to computers! One universal superstition I have found is anyone that uses the Q word (quiet) gets a death stare, as it is a matter of minutes before every room will be full!

I will say there is something to be said about a full moon. Every ER nurse hates to work a full moon, except maybe the overzealous newbie! There is something about the gravitational pull of a full moon that makes pregnant women go into labor and amplifies psychotic behavior. On those crazy shifts my coworkers always need a mental break. For some it’s a favorite snack or phone call to a loved one. A pan on theses brownies on the next full moon work day is guaranteed to make any work day better!

Zesty Italian Pork Chops

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I love a simple recipe that packs a punch. I have found this in Zesty Italian Pork Chops! It’s so simple, just dip, coat, and bake. This makes any weeknight dinner a winner!

Food H & P:
3 cups dry Italian bread crumbs
1 small pack of dry Italian dressing mix
2 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon of powdered garlic
1 cup of bottled ranch dressing (more if needed)
6 thinly sliced pork chops

Food Rx:
Place the creamy ranch dressing on a plate. Mix the first 4 ingredients (dry ingredients) onto another plate. Dip the pork chop in the wet dressing allowing the extra to drip off then coat the chops in the dry mix. Place the pork chops on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake the pork chops at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Dispatch information and these pork chops are similar in that all you need is the basics. When I was a flight nurse and the tones would echo throughout the hanger, alerting us of a call, we would listen to the key points. Where we were flying to, the general age of the patient, chief complaint, and if it was a hospital or scene call is the only information we would receive. We had no desire to know more because as soon as we got that general report our pilot was heading to the computer assessing the flight plan in order to make a judgement call of if the flight could be safely completed. The flight crew needed to know the age and general complaint to mentally prepare and have possible equipment and medications within reach. We had no clue who we were heading to get as that information could sway our decision to attempt a flight that was not safe due to weather, in order to be there for a friend or loved one.


A hospital setting is very different. A hospital is always available for all patients to stabilize. Sometimes there is a bed shortage or a specialty that is not available that would cause a hospital to be on diversion. If so we try to make the ambulance crew and patient aware, otherwise a hospital is always available. A hospital gets a more detailed report which would include chief complaint, vitals, and any treatment a patient has received. The report is still general as all the area hospitals and emergency personal are utilizing the same radio frequency. However, like the pork chops all you need is the basics!

 

Nutter Butter Banana Pudding

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If there is one recipe that reminds me of my Dad’s parents it is banana pudding. My grandparents live in a small town where cell phone signals are spotty at best, the nearest Wal-Mart is 15 minutes away, and it is impossible to count the never-ending stars. When I was younger and would visit during the summer my cousins and I spent most of our time outdoors riding Papaw’s golf cart around the property, playing hide and seek in their green houses, and enjoying the freshest vegetables straight from the garden. No one ever asked what was for dessert because everyone knew it was Mamaw Neva’s Banana Pudding.

Food H & P:
3-4 bananas
1, 8 oz container of cool whip
1, 5 oz box of instant vanilla (or banana flavored) pudding
1, 8 oz bag of Nutter Butter snack size round cookies
3 cups of milk

Food Rx:
Mix the pudding packet and milk together with a whisk about 2 minutes or until thick. Slice the bananas. Then it’s just layering. Place 1/3 of the bag of the Nutter Butter cookies on the bottom of the serving dish, cover with half of the pudding mixture, then half of the sliced bananas, lastly ending with the cool whip. Repeat the layers once more then top this delicious dessert with the remaining cookies for decoration.

Tips:
For a prettier pudding, dipping the bananas in sprite or water with a few drops of lemon juice will keep them from turning brown.

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I admit my grandmother did not use Nutter Butter cookies, but the traditional Nilla Wafers. You can not go wrong with Nilla Wafers; however, the Nutter Butter cookies are firmer giving the pudding more of a crunch and peanut butter goodness! I was introduced to the Nutter Butter variation by my sweet pastor’s wife as she made this delicious dessert when throwing us an engagement shower. Little did she know about my grandmother’s condition. Around the time we were getting married my Mamaw Neva was starting to show the beginning signs of dementia.

I see my grandmother in so many of the “grandparents” I treat in the Emergency Room with advanced dementia. I am reminded that, like mine, each one of them has a unique story with signature recipes for their loved ones. Due to the cognitive deficits, a lot of times we must take a “shotgun” approach with diagnostic testing, in order to make a diagnosis for an illness that a patient with dementia may not know they are experiencing. In other words, there are standard basic testing that we order to get a general quick overview of what might be going on with the patient.

I know my grandmother will probably never remember my daughter’s name, but every time I eat banana pudding I’m taken back to a time of endless summer days and no memory deficits. While it’s difficult to witness the forgetfulness, lack of ability to care for self, and repetitive questions, I am reminded of God’s goodness and immeasurable blessings as I see the joy my 1 year old gets every time she eats her favorite food, bananas! I plan on continuing to make this dessert for her so in a way she will always know her great grandmother!