When Life Gives You Apples.......Make French Toast.

They say that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade..........

What the saying should say, is:
 when life finds you at two in the morning with apples that are going to go bad soon, and you're craving french toast for breakfast the next morning, but you realize you don't have butter or syrup......
                            Discover and create the best french toast you have ever had in your entire life! Really though, I thought I had had french toast until this morning. :)

In all seriousness, how I got to this was just as a mentioned above--I really wanted to make french toast this morning, so last night I was sitting there wondering what on earth I could put with it because I didn't have any butter or syrup on hand. Add the fact that I had four apples that were about to go bad, and I ended up with the equivalent to apple-pie french toast. I do have half a mind to call it Tayler Toast.....how convenient my name starts with a "t." ;)  (When I made it, I just threw a ton of stuff together, and improved it, but I have included my "recipe" at the bottom of the post.)

Anyways, I was pretty excited as you can probably tell--it's awesome when something looks like a problem (i.e. no butter or syrup) but in reality it is an opportunity to learn, grow, and discover.
Now that, is where this whole "Tayler Toast" tangent is going,

Life is a lot of times like a recipe: if you take out vital parts, it won't work. If you don't give it the correct amount of time, it can get messy, fast. If you aren't prepared before you begin, then you will run into issues later on. Like life, there are sequential steps or chapter, pieces or ingredients, and many opportunities to succeed and fail.

I find myself trying to write my own recipe sometimes though--what I want to do, and when. I'm talking big-picture things: School, job, mission, marriage, family, etc. I don't forget, but I don't really remember 100% of the time, that heavenly Father envisions and knows the end result, and knows my potential. More importantly, He knows how to get me there, and leads me along the path that exposes me to the opportunities and often trials, that have the potential to help me reach my goal; to be like Christ. Back to the french toast analogy, it is kind of like how I sat there at two in the morning, wondering why I would even make french toast in the morning if I didn't have anything to top it with. But if I had had syrup or butter or jam conveniently in the pantry or fridge, then I would have never figured out how amazing Apples were on french toast. French toast is far different than our eternal plans, but the basics are parallel in the sense that:

A) It may not make sense now, and it sounds crazy, but it is more incredible than you could ever imagine.
and....
B) Problems are often opportunities to explore who you really are, and what you can do/become. You could go down a road you never would have otherwise.

Anyways, I know that I often need to be reminded that "everything is for my good" or "experience."
That most certainly doesn't mean it isn't hard or it makes complete sense to us now, but looking back, look out at that sunset, we often get to see a glimpse of the plan He has always had prepared for us.

Well, have an amazing week, and a wonderful Sunday evening.
Love,
Tayler


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Tayler Toast :) 

Apples: In a crock-pot

8  apples cored and sliced (I left mine with peels on) 
4+  Tbs. Cinnamon
2    tsp. Ginger
1    tsp. Cloves
3/4    c. Water
4    Tbs. Brown Sugar (optional, depending on personal taste)

Throw apples, and spices in crock pot, pour water over and cook on low for 3+ hours. I left them in for about 6, and they melted in your mouth, but I would probably go shorter.

DON"T THROW OUT SPICED APPLE JUICE WHEN DONE COOKING!!!

French Toast: Aprox. 10 pieces

Loaf of Bread
8 eggs (if you want more of a custard texture, stick with egg yolks, and add milk)
1 Tbs. Vanilla
1 c. Vanilla Almond milk (good old milk is just as good/ maybe better)
1/2 Tbs. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Cloves
2 tsp. Ginger

Mix it all up, dip the bread in, and throw on the skillet. After just cooked, layer bead, then apples, then bread. Top with more apples, and about 2 Tbs. of juice from the crock-pot. 

In reality, you could add whipped cream or even vanilla ice-cream, easily. Enjoy!!