SO. Hungry.

The title of this post does not even begin to describe what I am going through right now.  Honestly, the way I've been eating, you'd think I hadn't eaten in months.  It is ridiculous.  Case in point: the other day, in a two hour span, I ate the following: two clementines, a banana, a Luna bar, peanut butter crackers, popcorn, carrots.  Two hours!  It is a serious problem.  I am assuming it is a result of the breast feeding (can you still call it breast feeding when really it's breast pumping?), but I am pretty sure I eat more now than I did when I was pregnant with Lilly bean.  And that is A LOT.

An added dilemma?  I have to literally force myself to make healthy choices, because all I want are sweets.  And my will-power seems to be non-existent.  This is a problem, because my 6-week follow-up violation appointment is on Wednesday (not ready to think or talk about it), and as soon as the good doctor gives me the all-clear to start exercising again, Operation Starvation will commence.  My pregnancy pounds are all gone, but as I've mentioned before, I'm sporting some extra flesh which needs to disappear (or shrink a lot at the very minimum) so I don't ruin the pictures of the two weddings in which I am matron of honor this summer.  Guess that means I'm going to have to eat all of the Girl Scout Cookies that Dan brought me over the next two days so I don't have to throw them out in an effort to keep myself from eating them.  ;-)

I haven't posted a recipe in a while, so in the spirit of my expanding @$$, I thought I'd share one with you today.  My Aunt Hopey has come to visit quite a few times since Lilly was born, and Dan always gets really excited when she comes because she brings a delicious dinner which typically includes a phenomenal dessert (Layla gets excited, too, because she brings a playmate, Charlie.  And Lilly and I enjoy the company!).  When she came last week, she brought us some caramel oatmeal bars.  To say these things are divine is an understatement - I should probably warn you that if you try them, beware of your waist line.  They did not last two days in my house, and there are only two of us who can eat them.  It's a serious problem.  Anyway, the bars are super easy and delicious, and I hope you enjoy them as much as we have!

AUNT HOPEY'S CARAMEL OATMEAL BARS

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups oatmeal

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ sticks butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

About  I/2 jar caramel sauce*

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease 13 X 9” pan.

Combine first 5 ingredients.  Add melted butter and mix until crumbly.  Reserve 1 cup.  Press remaining oat mixture into greased pan.  Bake 10 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Top with pecans and chocolate chips.  Drizzle caramel sauce over nuts and chocolate, then sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.  Continue baking 15-18 minutes.  Cool, and then slice.  Store covered.

*You may use self-risihg flour and omit the soda and salt
**Aunt Hopey swears by  Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel Topping.  She says that the taste and consistency are the best with this topping - I can definitely attest to that from when she made them!  I made these to take to a dinner party over the weekend, and the grocery store where we shop did not carry Mrs. Richardson's, so I used a jar of Pampered Chef Caramel Sauce that I'd forgotten about and found in my pantry, and it worked really well as well.

I didn't think to take photos while I was making them, but here's a photo of the finished product - figured I should take one before they are all gone in half a day (you think I'm kidding, try them).  Ha!  I am obviously not a photographer, but I thought I'd include the pretty lilies my husband brought home - he's kept them in the house ever since baby girl was born.  Cute, ain't he?  We'll keep him!  Please excuse the mountain of dishes, bottles and breast pump parts drying in the background (story of my life!):


AND because I can't resist, behold some cuteness from the weekend:

Being lazy and lounging in our PJs on Saturday during the nasty weather...look at that belly!



Happy girl in her sweet outfit, borrowed from her bestie, Hadley.

Hope you've had a great weekend!

Sarah