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On Jan. 19, the popular social media platform, TikTok, displayed an error screen, halting many of the app’s 150 million American users’ mid-scroll. “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now,” the screen read. “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.” 

TikTok is owned by the Chinese internet company ByteDance and gained prominence on an international scale in 2017. Its Chinese ownership caused former President Joe Biden to sign a law dictating that if TIkTok weren’t sold to an American company, then it would be banned from American devices, leading to the error message. 

This isn’t the first time TikTok was under threat of a ban, but it is the first time it has gotten this far. TikTok users across the country closed their apps for what they thought was the last time, reflecting on how the app fits into their lives, and how it will change their future habits. 

TikTok was out of commission for 12 hours, giving many Americans a chance to contemplate its absence. Were we glad that the icon was no longer on our phone screens, tempting us to click on it? Or, did we regret that we didn’t have the breadth of advice, entertainment and information it avails? 

The app offers endless opportunities, giving platforms to anyone who creates an account. Many small-business owners, artists, song-writers, comedians, food-bloggers, musicians and book-reviewers gained a foothold in their industry by joining the expanding ranks of “Tiktok influencers.” Numerous current professionals, especially creatives, used the short-form videos to their advantage. Lil Nas X, the recipient of two Grammy Awards, is one of the most notable artists who gained popularity by advertising his song on the app. 

However, the very draw of the app–representation of a wide range of communities, allowing anyone to have a platform–can be contorted to manipulate the user’s perspective on reality. Besides the constant risk of spreading inaccurate information, the sheer amount of content can be anxiety-inducing. Literally swiping away anything distressing can condense a person’s world, the specialized “For You Page,” an echo-chamber. The casual, friendly videos can become a crutch, with scrolling from video to video becoming less of a conscious action and more of a comforting, self-soothing habit. 

During those hours without TikTok as an active factor shaping our view, we were given the distance needed to evaluate its place retrospectively in our lives. Did we use it when we were bored? Stressed? Angry? Why and when will we miss it? Taking healthy breaks provides the unaffected clarity to make these determinations. 

TikTok is back for now–President Trump issued a 90-day extension for ByteDance to sell–but let’s use the temporary ban as an opportunity to examine our social media usage.

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Vegetarian stuffed peppers

By Heidi Sutton

These weeknight-friendly vegetarian stuffed peppers are packed with protein in the form of black beans and brown rice and loaded with sautéed onions, corn, and tomatoes. Loved by meat-eaters and vegetarians alike, this easy, healthy dinner is sure to spice up your week. Serve with garlic bread and an arugula salad.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Recipe from Milk Means More

Vegetarian stuffed peppers

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

6 large sweet bell peppers

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained   and rinsed

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 + 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a rimmed half sheet pan with non-stick aluminum foil.

Slice the tops off of the sweet bell peppers. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds and white membranes from the insides of the peppers. Discard the pepper tops and seeds. Place the peppers onto the prepared half sheet pan; briefly set aside. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Stir in tomatoes, corn, black beans and brown rice until combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the egg, then add in chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add veggie mixture to bowl and mix well. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese into the filling bowl and mix until well combined. Stuff the open cavities of the sweet bell peppers tightly with filling, mounding a bit of the filling over the top edge of the peppers. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over top of the filling.

Bake the stuffed peppers for 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is heated through, the peppers soften, and the exteriors begin to wrinkle. Serve immediately.

Simple Arugula Salad

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

¾ cup Parmesan cheese shavings (about 1.5 ounces)*

1 small shallot

8 cups (5 ounces) baby arugula (do not use standard arugula, usually sold in bunches)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice + zest of ½ lemon

DIRECTIONS:

If necessary, shave the Parmesan cheese with a vegetable peeler. Thinly slice shallot. In large bowl, place the baby arugula, olive oil, lemon zest (optional), lemon juice, and kosher salt. Use your hands to toss everything so it’s evenly coated. Add the Parmesan shavings and shallot and toss for a few seconds until combined. Taste and add additional salt if desired.

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A scene of destruction in Western North Carolina after Tropical Storm Helene. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/NCDOTcommunications

By Kurt Johnsen  

On August 19, 2024, a “thousand-year” rain event breached Harbor Road and drained the Stony Brook Mill Pond. TBR News Media published my memoir of my personal relationship with the pond and my deep sorrow of its loss on Aug. 29.

I live in Asheville, North Carolina and on September 28, I awoke to a Natural Disaster that was beyond my comprehension. Tropical storm Helene had scourged our beloved Western North Carolina.  I’ll first note that my wife and I were fine, and our home only suffered minor damage. I stepped outside and began to witness what was soon to be apparent destruction of “biblical” proportion.

Overnight, 40 to 100 miles-per-hour winds had ravaged our region. Asheville received 14 inches of rain, much of Western North Carolina received two feet of rain and even up to 30 inches, all in the previous two days. Trees were downed everywhere and with them thousands of power lines cutting off electricity and making even simple travel down the road impossible. Soon, the magnitude of the destruction started to become evident. 

Close to 900,000 acres of forest were downed or damaged, thousands of homes were destroyed and 150,000 people were displaced. If you haven’t yet, you can go on YouTube and watch the hundreds of videos showing events that, before this, we only witnessed from afar often in third world countries. Two miles from our house  Biltmore Village was flooded and EVERY business was gutted or ripped down. Eighty percent of our beloved River Arts District was destroyed. The torrents caused massive mudslides. Across the region, houses were torn apart and floated  like balsa wood along powerful rivers that, two days prior, were small streams and brooks. 

There are 104 verified storm-related deaths. It is Incredulous this number isn’t higher. Vehicles, homes, businesses were piled like matchsticks. People’s lives were upended and, for many, will never be the same. Even now, as you drive out to smaller towns that were virtually destroyed,  you proceed through a “tunnel” of the hulks of demolished cars, trucks, houses and other flotsam.

The main Pipeline from the reservoir that supplies most of Asheville with water was shattered and under 28 feet of thick muck! Water immediately ceased flowing out of the tap for, in most cases, months and even longer to become potable. Asheville’s unemployment rate jumped from three to 9 percent overnight. The lack of affordable housing, already a crisis for service industry employees in our tourist-based economy, was extraordinarily exacerbated overnight.

Stop reading for a minute and imagine the all-too-real picture I have painted above. Now, let me put this in perspective. The Mill Pond is approximately 11 acres in size. That is 0.001 percent of the area that was impacted in WNC from Helene. And now, much of Los Angeles looks like Dresden after the firebombing. I will not go far out on a limb to say we have reached the “tipping point”; climate change is now ravaging our planet.  James Taylor sang “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain.” He had no idea how prophetic his prose would become. 

Author Kurt Johnsen, who grew up in idyllic Stony Brook,  now resides in  Asheville, North Carolina.

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

The back to back days of pardons given by former president Joe Biden and current president Donald Trump put me in a pardoning frame of mind.

In that vein, I think we should have a national day of pardoning in the United States, unrelated to who is president and what those pardons might reflect about the taint politics has on the entire notion of a justice system whose rules can and should apply to all.

Perhaps the day after the inauguration should become a day of amnesty or for some sort of pardoning day, when we can ask for and receive pardons from regular folks for regular offenses.

Here are a few pardonable categories:

Inaction: We sometimes have those moments when we could or should say something and don’t. We see someone bullying someone else and we have the chance to stand up for that person. Instead, maybe we’re relieved that the bullying didn’t come directly at us.

Many years ago in college, one of my professors (and some of you may have read this anecdote before, so pardon me) was berating someone for trying to remove some equipment quietly from the room. He shouted at him and dressed him down, complaining that this other person was making it impossible for him to do his job.

At the time, I thought about getting out of my seat and leaving the room, but I didn’t. I could have helped the person doing the work, or, perhaps, have said something.

Funny is in the eye of the beholder: We sometimes think, hope or believe we’re funnier than we are. Maybe we make a friend or classmate uncomfortable, joke with a partner or invalidate someone else with words we think are more clever than they are. A pardon day could give us a chance to rephrase what we said or, instead of explaining it or editing it, just deleting it from the record. Wouldn’t that be nice? Pardon me for trying too hard to be amusing and missing the mark so badly. Can’t you just see that on a card or in a text?

We thought we knew better: How often have our parents suggested something, like wearing boots in the snow, putting on mittens in the cold, or doing our homework instead of praying for a snow day, and been right? Perhaps an amnesty day would give us a chance to admit that they were right and, in return, they could ask for our pardon for telling the same stories about our stubborn and self-assured nature.

Last teammates: Gym class is filled with opportunities for embarrassment, discomfort and failure. We might let a ball scoot by us, run the wrong way or pass to the wrong teammate. But those pale in comparison to the moment when someone is picked last, yet again. These character-building experiences can and should include moments when the people chosen last defy the odds and receive a welcoming and eager reaction from a captain or teammates.

Understanding instead of anger: It’s easy to react to someone’s angry, abrupt or inexplicable actions with frustration and hostility. Why didn’t this person answer a text or email? Why did he or she cut me off? We can ask for a pardon and perhaps get a better understanding of why someone wouldn’t let us finish a sentence.

Ears not mouth: Sometimes, we need a pardon for speaking instead of listening. Speaking is so much easier, as we can share whatever thoughts are percolating in our brains. Listening is often harder, but can be more rewarding and meaningful for people who have something to share. Pardon me for speaking. What did you want to say? I promise I’m listening.

Bad math moment: Maybe we were splitting a check, leaving a tip or returning the favor for a gift someone gave our children and yet, somehow we didn’t send/ spend enough. We’ve all been distracted at inopportune times, even with money. A pardon for under-tipping a hard working waiter or waitress might go a long way. 

Sharing poorly: On a recent vacation, I went up to a buffet, filled a plate with chocolate chip cookies and carried them through the restaurant. A child in the restaurant pointed and said, “Look it’s the real cookie monster.” Yes, that’s me. So, for all those times I didn’t exactly share well, pardon me.

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

There is a place called Ramsey, where they have banned cellphones during class. Perhaps you have heard of it? It’s in New Jersey. Ramsey High School has banned students from using cellphones and electronic devices during school hours, except at lunch. The idea was to reduce distractions and improve mental health.

No doubt you have been reading or hearing about how cellphone overuse is ruining our kids’ moods and minds, not to mention how hard it is for teachers to reach the students if the latter are plastered on their cellphone screens. 

Well, a San Francisco company called Yondr has stepped into the breech with a lockable pouch for each student that keeps phones out of reach until the pouch is tapped on an unlocking base.

There are 741 students in the high school, and upon entering the building they put their  cellphone into the small holders that they carry with them but cannot open until lunchtime. They can then check their messages, text with friends, play videos, and otherwise use their phones until they return to class, where the procedure repeats itself. At the end of the school day, they reclaim their phones and can jump back on them as they go home or wherever they go next.

How did they do it? 

The district was able to put the policy together, after board approval, by sending three letters: one to parents, one to students and one to teachers and administrators, explaining the program. Communication was good, and the policy was helped by New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy endorsing the idea for all 600 school districts in his State of the State address.

How is it working for them?

Many of the students have responded positively to the change. They point out that they are actually happy to see their friends in the hallways and talk with them, whereas before, they were all in their cellphones while changing classrooms. So better socializing has been a plus.

Grades have improved, according to some of the students and teachers, as student attention is now directed to the lessons. Teachers undoubtedly find it more satisfying to teach less distracted kids. And cyberbullying seems reduced.

Concerns about safety have subdued. Should emergency messages need to be sent, having clear bandwidth to the police or whomever would be an advantage. The investment for the district was $30,000.

UNESCO is advocating cellphone bans in schools, arguing that the devices are distractions from learning, are bad for teens’ mental health and may be an obstacle for students’ privacy, as some digital education tools can survey the children using them. The recommendations come from the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report, which analyzes global policies on technology use in classrooms.

“Only technology that has a clear role in supporting learning should be allowed in school,” the United Nations agency for education and science stated, according to the publication, Global News. 

In fact, one in four countries has already implemented full or partial cellphone bans in schools, according to the report. “Incoming notifications or the mere proximity of a mobile device can be a distraction, resulting in students’ losing their attention from the task at hand,” the report states. One study showed  it can take students up to 20 minutes to refocus on learning once their attention was drawn away.

Data from a 2018 study showed that young people 11-14 on average spent 9 hours in front of a screen, down a bit to 7.5 hours for 15-18 year-olds. The report further pointed to an American study that showed higher screen time was associated with “poorer well-being; less curiosity, self-control and emotional stability; higher anxiety; and depression diagnoses.”

If this has a familiar ring to it, for those of a certain age, the same concerns were expressed in the early years of television. How did we deal with the problem? 

Less television.

P.S. Just woke up yesterday to learn that Gov. Hochul is advocating the same idea. She must have heard of Ramsey.

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The Long Island Sound has attracted many residents to the area. While walking across the beach and appreciating waters that change with the tides and weather, the beauty of a landscape we share with seagulls calling to each other and fiddler crabs racing in and out of the surf provides a comforting setting for our busy lives.

While the Long Island Sound seems resilient and constant, it faces an ongoing threat. After decades of existing adjacent to population-dense Long Island, its chemical makeup has suffered. 

About 9 million people live in the Long Island Sound watershed, which extends almost to Canada, with 1.5 million of those people residing in Suffolk County. The large population puts pressure on the sewer systems, which if ineffective, affect water quality. 

Ineffective wastewater management not only impacts drinking water, but also has profound and noticeable impacts on the Long Island Sound where the toxic runoff often ends up. Wastewater is adding nitrogen to the water, contributing to the growth of harmful algae blooms that overwhelm the surrounding ecosystem and cause beach closures.

Since we live on a watershed, how we use our water has the potential to erode the quality of the beaches we adore. To maintain the natural havens like Cedar Beach, Long Beach, and Sunken Meadow State Park we need a capable sewer system and modern septic tanks. 

Our area poses a unique threat to the Sound: Long Island is highly developed, containing paved roads and concrete essentially leading straight to the beach. The lack of undeveloped land to absorb the excess water causes it to flow into the Sound, with all the contaminants it picks up on the way. 

Our communities, too, will inevitably be impacted, unless we can make the proper preparations and implement mitigation techniques. Without improved sewage systems our community will not be able to cope with the escalating effects of climate change. Rising temperatures lead to more rainfall and more treacherous storm surges. We need to make sure our infrastructure can handle the strain to avoid flooding our towns. 

Last year, the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was a step in the right direction. Passed on Nov. 5, the bill will provide the county with $4 billion to upgrade our water infrastructure. 

As the temperature rises, year by year, understanding how the qualities of Long Island interact with the changing climate can help us know what is at stake and how to protect it. 

We need to keep the momentum going.We must learn how to protect what we have. This may mean reducing our use of fertilizer to minimize contaminated runoff from entering the water. Or it may mean doing the best we can to encourage others to protect the shared treasure that is the Long Island Sound .

Fortunately, the portion of the Long Island Sound in our coverage area is relatively healthy; but we must take steps now to become informed and protect a valuable resource we can appreciate and enjoy.

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Home remedies may be more helpful than supplements

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

These past few weeks, I’ve been hearing a lot more sniffling, sneezing and coughing. Cold season is here. A cold’s effects can range from mild annoyance to more serious symptoms that put us out of commission for weeks.

First, you might be able to prevent catching a cold with some common-sense tactics: wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face to help minimize your exposure. Frankly, this is good practice to avoid many of the viruses circulating at this time of year.

If you do catch a common cold, you might be able to reduce your symptoms or the cold’s duration with some simple homestyle remedies and a few dietary supplements. 

How do you relieve cold symptoms?

Congestion or coughing symptoms can be eased by sitting in a steamy bathroom. This simulates a medical mist tent, moisturizing your nasal and bronchial passages. 

You might also try nasal irrigation, which uses a saline rinse or spray to flush your sinuses. This can help clear immediate congestion and thin secretions (1). There are pre-filled versions on the market, which make them easier to use. If you mix your own, the Cleveland Clinic’s website has detailed instructions and guidance (2). A few key points: do not share equipment, clean your equipment properly, and do not use tap water without boiling it.

Dry heat is your enemy when you’re experiencing cold symptoms. If your home or office is dry, use a cool mist humidifier to put some humidity back in the air. Take care to clean your humidifier to avoid mildew and mold buildup.

You can eat salt-free soups loaded with vegetables to increase your nutrient intake and loosen congestion. I start with a sodium-free soup base and add spices, onions, spinach, broccoli, and other greens until it’s stew-like. High levels of sodium can dehydrate you and make you feel worse. Caffeine-free hot teas will also help loosen congestion and keep you hydrated.

Does Zinc reduce a cold’s duration?

According to a meta-analysis that included 13 trials, zinc in any form taken within 24 hours of your first symptoms may reduce the duration of a cold by at least one day (3). Even more importantly, zinc may significantly reduce the severity of your symptoms throughout, improving your quality of life. This may be due to an anti-inflammatory effect.

One of the studies found that zinc reduced the duration of the common cold by almost 50 percent from seven days to four days, cough symptoms were reduced by greater than 60 percent, and nasal discharge was reduced by 33 percent (4). Researchers used 13 grams of zinc acetate per lozenge taken three-to-four times daily for four days. This translates into 50-65 mg per day.

There are a few serious concerns with zinc. First, the dose researchers used was well above the maximum recommended intake is 40 mg per day for adults (5). Also, the FDA has warned against nasal zinc administration with sprays, which can result in permanent loss of smell.

Studies that showed a benefit have used different formulations, delivery systems and dosages, and there is no current recommendation or consensus on what is optimal.

Does vitamin C or echinacea help?

According to a review of 29 trials, vitamin C did not show any significant benefit in preventing or reducing cold symptoms or duration for the general population (6). However, a sub-group of serious marathon runners and other athletes who took vitamin C prophylactically caught 50 percent fewer colds.

The jury is still out on the effectiveness of echinacea for treatment of duration and symptoms, but the results are inconsistent and disappointing (7). In a randomized controlled trial with 719 patients, echinacea was no better than placebo for the treatment of common cold symptoms (8). There are ongoing studies to determine whether prophylactic use helps prevent colds (9). 

Should you exercise or not?

A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine may challenge your perceptions about exercising when you have a cold. Participants who did aerobic exercise at least five days per week, versus one or fewer days per week, had a 43 percent reduction in the number of days with colds over two 12-week periods during the fall and winter months (10). Even more interesting is that those who reported themselves as being highly fit had 46 percent fewer days with colds compared to those who perceived themselves as having low fitness. Their cold symptoms were reduced significantly as well.

References:

(1) Am Fam Physician. 2009 Nov 15;80(10):1117-9. (2) clevelandclinic.org (3) Open Respir Med J. 2011; 5: 51–58. (4) J Infect Dis. 2008 Mar 15;197(6):795-802. (5) ods.od.nih.gov. (6) Cochrane Database of Syst Reviews 2013, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000980. (7) Cochrane Database of Syst Reviews 2014, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD000530. (8) Ann Intern Med. 2010;153(12):769-777. (9) nccih.nih.gov. (10) British J Sports Med 2011;45:987-992.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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By Michael Christodoulou

Michael Christodoulou

In life, you often get second chances — and the same is true with investing. To illustrate: You might not have been able to contribute to a Roth IRA during your working years due to your income level, but you may get that opportunity as you near retirement, or even when you are retired — through a Roth conversion.

Why is a Roth IRA desirable for some people? Here are the key benefits:

 Tax-free withdrawals 

You put in after-tax dollars to a Roth IRA, so you can withdraw your contributions at any time, free of taxes and penalties. And if you’ve had your account for at least five years and you’re at least 59½, you can also withdraw your earnings free of taxes.

No RMDs 

With a traditional IRA, you’ll have to start taking withdrawals — called required minimum distributions, or RMDs — when you turn 73, or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. But there’s no RMD requirement with a Roth IRA — you can essentially leave the money intact as long as you like.

Tax-free legacy for your heirs 

When your heirs inherit your Roth IRA, they can withdraw the contributions without paying taxes or penalties, and if the account has been open at least five years, they can also withdraw earnings tax free.

But even if you were aware of these advantages, you might not have been able to invest in a Roth IRA for much of your life. For one thing, you might have earned too much money — a Roth IRA, unlike a traditional IRA, has income limits. Also, a Roth IRA has only been around since 1998, so, in the previous years, you were limited to a traditional IRA.

As you approach retirement, though, you might start thinking of just how much you’d like to benefit from a Roth IRA. And you can do so by converting your traditional IRA to a Roth. While this sounds simple, there’s a major caveat: taxes. You’ll be taxed on the amount in pre-tax dollars you contributed to a traditional IRA and then converted to a Roth IRA. (If you have both pre- and after-tax dollars in your traditional IRA, the taxable amount is based on the percentage of pre-tax dollars.)

If you have large amounts in a traditional IRA, the tax bill on conversion can be significant. The key to potentially lowering this tax bill is timing. Generally speaking, the lower your income in a given year, the more favorable it is for you to convert to a Roth IRA. So, for example, if you have already retired, but have not started collecting RMDs, your income may be down.

Timing also comes into play with the financial markets. When the market is going through a decline, and the value of your traditional IRA drops, you could convert the same number of shares of the underlying investments and receive a lower tax bill or convert more shares of these investments for what would have been the same tax bill.

Finally, you could lower your tax bill in any given year by stretching out your Roth IRA conversions over several years, rather than doing it all at once.

You’ll want to consult with your tax advisor before embarking on this conversion — but if it’s appropriate for your situation, you could find that owning a Roth IRA can benefit you and your family for years to come.

Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook, Member SIPC.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

By Heidi Sutton

What pairs best with a hot cup of coffee on a brisk winter’s day? A coffee cake! The following recipe features a plethora of chocolate and warm cinnamon coming together in every bite of this cake enriched with sour cream. Top it with the optional glaze or not. It’s wonderful either way.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Recipe by Marcia Stanley

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

YIELD: Makes 16 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

Coffee Cake

1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 container (8 oz.) sour cream

1/3 cup milk (skim, 2% or whole)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Glaze (optional)

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons milk (skim, 2% or whole)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously grease a 10-inch-fluted tube pan or bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the pecans over the bottom of the pan and set aside.

For cinnamon filling, in small bowl stir together the remaining 1/2 cup pecans, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside.

In large bowl stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until pieces resemble small peas. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In another bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream, 1/3 cup milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour into well in center of flour mixture. 

Add chocolate chips. Stir just until combined. Remove 1 cup of the batter and stir into the cinnamon filling. Spread about half of the remaining chocolate chip batter in prepared pan. Spoon cinnamon filling over batter in pan. Carefully spoon the remaining chocolate chip batter on top. Gently smooth top. Bake coffee cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden skewer inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 10 minutes. Invert pan on a serving plate. Remove cake from pan. Let cool at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for glaze stir together all ingredients. Scrape into plastic sandwich bag. Snip off small corner of bag. Press glaze through corner of bag onto coffee cake top.

 

 

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