Too Fat Tuesday.... Halloween Edition

I thought since today is too fat Tuesday I would share with you the fat things that I like to indulge in during the holiday times, namely Halloween.  Halloween is right around the corner, so I thought I could also share some recipes with you of some fun treats to try for your friends or with your little ones around the house! First:  PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN MAN

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp ground flax
• peanut butter chips, for melting
• a couple squares of your favorite chocolate

          Melt the peanut butter and honey together in a small microwavable bowl until easily stirred.  Mix until well blended.  In another bowl, combine oats and flax.  Pour the peanut butter mixture into the oat mixture and mix together.  It may seem dry at first, but just keep mixing.  Form the now combined mixture into balls and place on a plate.  Chill in freezer overnight.  The next day, melt peanut butter chips in a small bowl (I used a ramekin).  If desired, thin the mixture with a bit of milk (I did this).  Using a toothpick, fork, of your hands if you don't mind getting a bit messy, dip the frozen peanut butter balls into the melted peanut butter chip and twist a bit to coat.         

          Set back on plate.  Repeat with each ball before returning them to freezer to let peanut butter coating harden (about an hour or so).  Once hardened, cut chocolate pieces into rectangular chunks and place on top of balls to make pumpkins.  You may have to melt the bottom of the chocolate a bit to get it to stick on top.  Return balls to freezer until serving time.

These are the best treats ever!! (especially if you like peanut butter like I do!!)  This next great has a lot of peanut butter as well!  I promise last peanut butter treat!

GHOST COOKIES!!

My mom has been making these for ages!  All you need is one package of nutter butter cookies and one package of white chocolate candy coating.  Melt the candy coating (be careful and only melt 30 seconds at a time because it will burn and mess up all of your white chocolate).  Then dip your nutter butter halfway in and let the excess white chocolate drip off before laying the cookie down on parchment paper.  Before the chore chocolate drys - place two chocolate chip morsels on it for eyes!  It is quick and simple and will make such a fun tailgate food, party appetizer, or even holiday gift!!  Plus they are super delicious!!

The next treat is a great dish to make with your family during the holidays for the best meal... BREAKFAST!

One of my favorite favors this time of year is pumpkin.  My mom makes a delicious pumpkin bread that I will share with you in a couple of days that is absolutely to die for!   This recipe is a spin off of a classic breakfast casserole where you soak bread overnight and back for 30 minutes in the morning.  Granted, it does have quite a bit of prep time.  It is worth it.  Especially for those mornings where you just want to lay around in bed, I lay around with Baylor, but those of you with sweeties - this is a great dish to make the night before - wake up and put in the oven, and snuffle for that extra 30 minutes you always want!! 

 Pumpkin French Toast Bake

Sweet and spicy pumpkin french toast is made the night before for an easy, early-morning preparation.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes (about half of a loaf and use wheat bread for best absorbency).

• 7 large eggs

• 2 cups milk (any kind)*

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4 cup pumpkin BUTTER (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree)* 

• 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar for topping

• nuts, like pecan or walnuts (optional)

                                                            Instructions

1. Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes – I recommend a crusty, whole grain variety, but sandwich bread will work, too. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish quite full.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and pumpkin butter until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it’s all soaked and mostly covered. Cover with saran wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar and nuts (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.
4. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for up to a couple days.

Notes

* I make my own pumpkin butter this time of year, so I use that, but if you are using the canned pumpkin I would use half of the can - I think it's like one cup pumpkin puree.

  

This is absolutely my favorite time of year!  Try these recipes out with your loved ones !!  I promise they will not disappoint.  My sister loves this last one because coupled with some good old fashioned log cabin maple syrup you are in for a sweet and pumpkin-y treat!  I love fall because with nutmeg, pumpkin, and cinnamon, plus of the different spices that we use this time of year - you can actually taste the leaves changing and the crisp air outside in every bite!  

That is what makes cooking so wonderful!  Especially this time of year!

Tomorrow is whatcha want Wednesday and I am going to show you some things that I want for my house.  I will need your opinion though because I am a bit of a clutter-holic.  I don't know when to stop and I dont know how to pick ONE theme!  I just pick what I like and throw it together. 

Because I am moving to Waco for a while, I really want this to feel like a cozy home.  A place that I can have company and that I can "grow up" a little with.  So I need your help!! PLEASE!

Also, I know we are a few weeks removed from the tragedy that struck the Turner family, but please remember them in your prayers.  Julee has a long road ahead of her and the more prayers that are out there the more comfort that will surround her.   I truly believe that Jesus sends us ANGELS to help us. let's pray for Julee and Preslee that angels surround them during this time.  And let's not forget, Matt's mother.  She has lost her husband, to leukemia (7 years ago), and now her son.  What a heart break.  If anything, pray for her sanity and her reliance on God and HIS PLAN AND HIS CONTROL during these times.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Let me know how you like the recipes!

The Beginning and the End

The end of the week was a good, productive one. After spending the night with Rachel I went and ate breakfast with man lil man Ryder and his mom Kati. We had a great conversation about life, boys, and of course my favorite SCENTSY! Katis blog is katisgetaway.blogspot.com go check it out!! She blogs about Ryder and he is truly a one of a kind precious little boy!






That afternoon I went and had lunch with my family at Panera and then took my cousin (and miss arkansas Princess) Jessica to see Winnie the Pooh. I have been dying to see it and really wanted Taylor to take me, but when I thought about it I thought it would be a great day date for me and my little girl!! It was soo cute! She is one of a kind and has my heart!




Thursday night I drove to East Arkansas to see Taylor! We went to Genes BBQ with Papa Ron it was really good food! I have so much fun with him!! Here are some pictures of Moro! It is definitely Gods country! I love driving to east Arkansas because I love seeing Taylor and going to his house but I love seeing all of the farmland! It's fun for me.














How beautiful!!




I haven't posted about cupcakes in a while - so I thought I'd show you one of the books I found, but did not buy, at Barnes and Noble today! Instead I bought Grace of Lineage by Francine Rivers. Itdocuments and tells the stories of 5 women in the bible and how god blessed them though their circumstances. I'm excited to get started reading it.

I initially went in to see if they had Beth Moore's study Living Free. I wanted to do a short study in between moving churches to Waco. Have you done it? If so, let me know how it is! I'm excites about it.

I watched Fireproof again Thursday night and then scene skipped to the middle on Friday and watched the back half! I love it.

I have been thinking a lot lately about prayer, what I pray for, who I pray for, and if I really pray constantly. Prayer is one thing I struggle with because I usually pray for ME. that is so selfish! I've been really convicted about praying for others lately and in turn my problems don't seem so large. I'm blessed truly, and for my prayers to sound like I need this and this and change this - just seems wrong that I tell the god of the universe what I need! He knows! Instead I should be praising him. I was on my way to st Louis last night and a song came on the radio... It sang Yahweh Yahweh I shout your name - or something like that. Do I ever shout Gods name? I should. And I probably don't do it enough!

One of my biggest fears on going to Baylor is that I will be alone. I know I will miss my family and friends and this special guy ;) It's inevitable - but I find solace in the verse genesis 2:18 - it's not good for man to be alone. God wants me to find friends and o impact others lives for his glory! My mission going to Waco is to change lives and impact others. I want my time there to be worth it and to be glorifying to God.

I write my blog and share with you some intimate desires and longings in my heart because Proverbs 27:17 says we are to be iron sharpening iron and to be besides each other through life. I want to share so that you might be encouraged.

Today be charmed!

Abby

Introductions are in order

I was saving this blog for later until I actually had a picture of us together. But if you are reading my blog you are getting to know me and my family very intimately. So why not know the one other part of my life: the man behind my inspiration and the support and encouragement that I receive Spiritually. Let me show you how:


This is how I feel about him :

Song of Solomon 3:4
I saw my lover and knew he was mine.

There are certain qualities that I look for in a man, perseverance, godliness, leadership, love, patience, and most importantly compassion.

This man is all of those things! Not too mention he is a stud. I mean he is so fine!

God has blessed me so much with this guy. I mean I can't believe I am able to date him.

So here he is::









This is Taylor Clark! He is one of a kind! As you can see for yourself he is quite a handsome man! And he is an amazing one too!

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

(Deuteronomy 4:29-31 NKJV) "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

James 1:25
New International Version (NIV)
25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

These bible verses reflect Taylors heart. And I will be the first to tell you that leaving him in 2 weeks is goingto be tough. I'm crazy about this boy. But like these verses above say... God is in control and if we constantly seek Him, he will let us in on his plan! I know that Taylor has been praying about this and he is in Gods will. We have been dating for 5 months before he felt Gods go ahead in our relationship. Isn't that encouraging to know that he is seeking and seeking constantly for Gods will in our relationship!! I love it! And it's what I've prayed for.

So as you read this blog: you might think it's crazy that I'm talking about him, or that I sound too serious... But I hope you read this and are inspired to live these verses out in your life! And to examine who you are and to know that just as Christ loves you for your mistakes and imperfections, there is someone out there that will do the same thingto you because God calls us to love others as he (Christ) has loved us!!

Taylor is amazing!

Please pray for our relationship that God would have complete control over us and that when we are 8 hours away that distance would not hinder our relationship but help us grow stronger in Christ and each other.

God bless!! Taylor always leaves me with this verse!! Phi 4:3

See ya!
Abby

Miss Arkansas Arrival!

Ouachita Baptist University girls!

So today begins the final stretch of my journey to Miss Arkansas 2011!  I am super pumped about this year.  I know that I have prepared all that I can and done everything I have set my mind to do and met every goal - well almost.. the next goal "be Miss Arkansas"  I cannot wait for this week to get started!  Below are some of my pictures from today.  Feel free to follow and post and ask questions.  You can also skip over to my Cupcake Queen blog  and follow me as I count down the final days to my cupcake!  I can't wait!

My love of cupcakes began 2 years ago when I set my mind to lose over 80 pounds.  I needed an incentive and I wanted to have something that I looked forward to.  Well Cupcakes on Kavanaugh had just opened and so I wanted to try not just one flavor - but ALL flavors :)  go check out their website it's so great!  Eatacupcake.com  It is a great site and a wonderful cupcake shop!  They have a delicious Red Velvet!!! So anyways - as my pageant year started 2 years ago I began thinking what if I became the "Cupcake Queen" and it stuck!  I take cupcakes everywhere I go (most of the time) and I give cupcake gifts to my friends.  It has been neat seeing all of the girls and pageant people latch onto my "name".  I even had a lady ask my last week at the Teen Pageant - "Aren't you the Cupcake Queen"!  It's cool when I see it effecting everybody around me and they really have fun with the nickname.  My countdown to the crown is not just on my blog - it is mostly on my facebook.  Everyday I feature a new cupcake.  I usually get asked questions like "isn't this torture?" or "are you actually making these?"  Most of the time I get them from a blog called Cupcakes Take the Cake - it's a great blog to read and follow.

Today I woke up around 9 am and watched my first episode of In Plain Sight.  I am officially addicted!  I am actually watching it with my awesome Roommate Kathryn Holcomb right now!  So I got up and turned the curlers on and then chilled for an hour.  About 1030 I put my curlers in and headed to hair and makeup.  This week at Miss Arkansas we are pampered and truly treated like royalty.. or celebrities!  I love it.  It's so fun - but it is also extremely exhausting.  All of us girls - as you will see as the week progresses have a blast together!

My roommate Kathryn!!!  We are going to have a blast this week!  We have been talking for over an hour in our room tonight about life!!  

We all get our hair and makeup done in the same room at literally the same time.  It's a big party!

This is Ms. Stephanie!  She is such a sweet woman and a godly one at that.  She does my makeup!! I absolutely Love her!!!!

Me and Bethany getting our hair and makeup done!

Then we headed over to the Hot Springs Convention Center for Arrival.  I don't have pictures of the actual arrival, but I did take pictures of all of us girls in the meeting beforehand dressed up.  We have had several meetings today about this week, rules, and the job of Miss Arkansas.  Even though this is a competition for Miss Arkansas, it is the craziest and funnest job interview you will ever have.  That is really how you have to look at it.  A job interview!  You must prove to 5 judges that you want this job and you are the best at this job.

At our meeting before arrival.

More contestants at the meeting :)  That is my roommate Kathryn on the end! 

Some more contestants.  Hannah (in blue on end) is such a bubbly sweet newbie!!) I am going to love getting to know our 26 newbies this week!

Tonight we had our meeting with our Chaperones - There will be more pictures of them later this week... and maybe even a montage of a day in the life!  We will see!  I hope you enjoy the pictures!  More to come later.

Tomorrow we have a full day so I will post tomorrow night about my interview (it's at 730).  I am so pumped.  I will most likely post throughout the day on Misscupcakequeen.blogspot.com - so check in over there!

Pray for all of us as we journey through our first round of Interviews!

 One of my Best friends, college roommate, and pageant contestant Bethany Whitfield!

Love all of you,
Abby