{found ephemeron}

Hello Monday. It's so early (12:45 am!)
This is super easy to make and it's quite happy.

I bought peanut butter chips and dark chocolate chunks and followed the Nestle recipe on the back of the package. I baked it for about 30 minutes. I doubled the recipe to make the other two cakes for my kids' Valentine Party on Thursday! Cookie cakes are easy and fun. It's also so easy to decorate them- I put the sprinkles and decorative chocolate chunks on before I baked them. A few chunks sunk to the bottom, so I just added some more during the last five minutes of baking time to make sure my design would be intact.

Make someone a Happy Cookie Cake. You never know who might be in need of a little extra something to brighten their day.

Hello Sunday. Why are you so gloomy outside?
Todays make is this really easy and very delicious Mediterranean Chicken Couscous. Let me just say, YUM.

Ingredients
1 1/4 c. low sodium chicken broth
1 box pine nut couscous mix (found in aisle 5 at the Publix off Montclair)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken (you may use 2-3 breasts or purchase 1 rotisserie chicken)
1/4 c. fresh chopped basil
4 oz. package crumbled feta
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (when I made it this time I bought two tomatoes and diced them; slightly cheaper)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

First, in glass measuring cup, heat broth and seasoning packet from couscous mix in the microwave on high for 3-5 minutes until it begins to boil. Then, place the couscous in a large serving bowl and stir in the broth mixture. Cover the bowl with a lid or plate and let it stand for 5 minutes.

The last step involves fluffing the couscous with a fork, and stirring in the cooked chicken with the remaining 6 ingredients. It can be served warm or cold. It says it makes 8 servings, but I think it feeds 4-6. Enjoy!

As promised, here are the pillow shams. It's hard to take pictures since my room is so small, but this gives you the idea. :) I love my queen size bed and the pillow shams are great! (they remind me of William Morris- a dude I did an independent study on in college. He designed textiles very similar to my shams)

I'm not sure how many of you out there read blogs frequently, but I've begun to do so with those bloggers who are my friends, as well as with bloggers I haven't ever met. That is sort of strange but I'm always finding funny, inspiring, or encouraging posts that fit the dynamic of my life and my circumstances now.**

Picture this: pouring rain, Highway 280, 5:30 pm- middle of rush hour traffic, me in my car sobbing and 'singing' to Damien rice. I love me some Damien. Tonight I loved his song Rootless Tree. The lyrics are as follows.

So fuck you, fuck you, fuck you
And all we've been through
I said leave it, leave it, leave it
It's nothing to you
And if you hate me, hate me, hate me
Then hate me so good that you can let me out
Let me out of this hell when you're around
Let me out, let me out,
Let me out of this hell when you're around
Let me out, let me out

So picture me singing-- well, er, screaming that over and over {yes, It was a ridiculous tantrum- but one I think I needed to have}. I know the song is more about a breakup than that of anything going on in my life right now, but I do feel trapped lately by circumstances beyond my control, compounded by my own thoughts that lie and beat me down unnecessarily here and there throughout my day. So, as horrifying as this sounds, I really felt like I was screaming to (or at?) the Lord. That is where my heart is tonight. That is raw, and honest, and ugly.

**Then I read a blog tonight and was reminded of something raw, honest, and beautiful. I was reminded of God's love, compassion, and sincerity. Here is truth:

Psalm 121

Song of Ascents.

1I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

Even in my tantrum, and at my lowest, how reassuring that the God who made me (and you) and loves me (and you) never sleeps nor tires of taking care of us. He will keep us. He will keep me. He will keep you.

Hello Tuesday and Happy Groundhog to you too. Today's make is Granola. An adapted version of one of my roommate's family recipes. It's quite delicious, I just can't get enough (and it's easy to make)!

1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. butter (melted)
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. bran
1/2 c. raisins

In addition to, or in place of the raisins, you can substitute almonds, coconut, sunflower seeds, and other nuts. Stir together the first four ingredients in a glass measuring cup. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour honey mixture over oats. Stir until well coated. Spray 9x9 baking pan with oil and fill with granola mixture. Preheat that oven to 350* and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10. Enjoy!
{It's quite delicious in some milk or yogurt}