Yay for today!!!

No pictures today. Why you may ask? Well, it's because my gut is the size of a 15 pound watermelon. Today was delightful-started early with sending my little sister Jana off back to Provo, and then sent David off to work. I had about 20 min to myself and just sit and ponder. It was the best 20 min of the day. Until I forgot that I hadn't packed my lunch yet-so I rushed and did that and literally sprinted out to my car for work. (the neighbor was laughing at me the whole time because I forgot something in the house and I stalled the car trying to keep it running and go up really fast.) But anyways....work was great. I'm almost done with training at the bank and I am super excited to start being an official tell for real. I mean playing with fake money is great and all, but I need more interaction with people throughout the day!

Side note: Today I was trained by Robin, she is a delightful woman with a lot of experience under her belt. She is kind and warmhearted and I want to be more like her. She greeted me with a warm smile and a hug and said "welcome to the bank! I'm sorry I wasn't here last week, but let's get started..." I instantly felt at home and calm. We talked throughout the day, reviewed what I had been learning all last week and she was just wonderful. When I had questions, she made me feel smart for asking 'the right ones' and if I ever made a mistake she would say, oh it took me years to really figure these things out! I found out that we were 'soul sistas' because we had similar wedding rings, and taste in clothes (she like to wear black, gray...and sometimes color, haha like me!) She took time to get to know me and my family and even invited me to go to her house for dinner sometime soon-it was just nice to feel special and not just the 'trainee' Oh how I adore Robin, and I am so grateful for her today.

Ok, back on track....today was great, I got off work early and headed straight home, picked up David and we went to the TEMPLE!!!! WAHOOOOO!!!!! Oh how I love the Temple and its peaceful power. You enter and whatever problems you had that day just melt away, and you instantly feel at home. Nothing can beat the feeling of being in the Temple with your hubby-knowing that you both are doing what is right. Well, also tonight our dear friends Lindsay and Devon were getting out their endowments for their wedding on Friday! So excited for that too! Wahoo! :) Well, after a glorious session David suggested that we go to Craigos. (ok, it went more like....

me: I feel gaunt
david: well what do you want to eat?
me: doesn't matter
david: no really, what do you want?
me: seroiusly, doesn't matter, I"ll have whatever tonight
david: what do you want
me: ok, PIZZA!!!!
david: so do you want craigos, dominos, little cesars, pizza hut...
me: doesn't matter
david; mandy just tell me
me: no you pick, i picked what kind of food
david: well....how about little cesars...
me: uhhhh maybe not...
david: then what do you want?
me: craigos? maybe?
david: I could do craigos
me: OH GOOD, I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD SAY THAT!!!
david: why didn't you just tell me in the first place?
me: mumble mumble mumble
david: what was that? I can't hear you?
me: doesn't matter, we're getting PIZZA!!!!

If any of you were wondering if that's how we did dinner every night, it is. haha doesn't always end up being craigos, but switch in different foods and that's pretty much how it is daily. haha-you'd think I'd learn.

Ok, so now you all know-after an all you can eat pizza buffet including dessert pizza (ooo I love orero!) I am sufficiently stuffed for the next 2 days and want to go work out but know if I move, I'll regret it later.  So I'm committing to work out tomorrow, and if I don't...well, I 'll have David think of a punishment. Overall, life is good and I couldn't be happier :)

Chocolate chocolate chip oreo cookies

I know the name is a mouthful-but oh it is so delicious. I have recently been on an oreo kick and I LOVE IT!!! I know, I know, it's horrible for the figure-but that's what my gym membership is for right?

Well, I had to make cookies for this weekend for three different events. So of course I just HAVE to try these little goodies out! I have tweaked the recipe a little bit because I felt the first batch was a little dry-but the following one was a hit at all the events! I am once again so excited to make these again and will keep on trying out different variations of the recipe! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chocolate chip oreo cookies

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

20 (ish) crushed oreos

Cream the butter and sugar together then add the eggs and vanilla to the mixture. In another bowl, mix the cocoa, flour and salt together and then sift it into the butter/sugar mixture little by little. This is really important that you sift it because you don't want to get chunks of cocoa or flour in the cookie-it's the worst. (haha not that I have experience in tasting that) But anyways-add the chocolate chips and oreos at the end and mix it all together. You need to chill the dough in the refridgerator for like an hour so the dough can set.

Form it into 1 inch balls and bake in the oven that is set for 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Depending on how you like them-you might want to go for 8-10 min for a little more chewy cookies. Let them cool and enjoy!

Angel food cake french toast

Well, if anyone is like me, I love breakfast foods, and sometimes (as much as I hate saying this) they get a little old. So recently, I have been searching for a fun way to spice up the classic french toast and I found an idea just walking up and down the different bread isles at the store. I love angel food cake, and french toast-why not put them together? It's really simple, and I paired it with a semi-homemade orange syrup to add a kick. Enjoy! 

Angel food cake french toast 

1 pkg. Angel food cake

5 eggs

2 Tb. milk

1 tsp. vanilla 

1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

Heat your griddle to about 300 and while you're waiting for it to be ready mix in a shallow bowl your eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice. (feel free to add a little more if you like-I start with this amount and depending on my mood I add a little more vanilla or lemon juice to my liking) 

Cut the cake into about 1/2-3/4 inch slices and proceed to dip and fry until each side is golden brown, about 2 min on each side. Remember to just dip the cake lightly-it soaks up the mixture really fast. 

I made this syrup today on the fly because I was craving something with a little zest-so I added a few things to our already bought syrup and voila! I loved it, and think that I will continue tweaking it a little. But until then, enjoy! 

Semi-homemade orange syrup

1 1/2 cups of regular store bought syrup

4 Tb. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tb. sugar

2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp orange zest

I just added it all together on a stove top (medium heat) and heat till all of the butter is melted. Don't let it boil because it will turn thick  I added a chopped orange wedge in the syrup for some extra texture and flavor.

Easter fun!!

WAHOOOO!!!! I love holidays-they are so much fun! A favorite tradition of my family was Easter morning when we would gather into my parents bedroom and obtain little baggies filled with a puzzle. On that puzzle was the first clue of many for a scavenger hunt for our easter baskets. We would run clue to clue sprinting across the room, searching for the next until we found our easter basket filled with little presents, and candy. It was so much fun! I wanted to continue the tradition for our little family. 

So the following pictures are of David's adventure to find his easter basket :) 

 His first clue was cut up like a puzzle...I made it extra hard because he enjoys a challenge. 

He literally sprinted to his music room to find the second clue :) 

A little puzzled...

My favorite clue...where you play your ipod the most...

haha-he didn't think it was as funny as I did, but he did chuckle a bit :) 

After a hurried and fun hunt-David finally found his basket and was happy for a homework break. I had a blast making the clues and hiding them and I am thrilled that he enjoyed it just as much as I did. 

Happy Easter everyone!  

Dutch oven cooking

Dutch oven cooking, a mystery until tonight. What an adventure! This past Tuesday, I went to Young Womens (a youth group put on by my church) and they were going over the final plans for the Ward Dutch Oven Cook-off for today. Slightly embarrassed and puzzled, I just smiled and looked excited then once I got home I searched it via google and entered into a whole new world (I just thought of Aladin...) But seriously-there are some intense dutch oven cookers-I would suggest you google it as well and see for yourself.

Tonight, while googling gave me a pretty good idea of what I was in for-I experienced it on my own. After some initial laughter from the other adults, we got started and I helped with the potatoes.

Before I go on, I would like to just let everyone know that I currently live in Rexburg, Idaho. The land of college students, potatoe farms and big trucks. I have graduated (yes mom and dad, I actually did graduate) from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a degree in Communication and LOVE it! While I may not be using my degree to its fullest, I am loving my full time job as a teller and enjoy life so much! I have the greatest husband ever and we have a turtle (toothless) and his fish friend (meaty.) While I work, David is slaving away at school and work as well. I am so grateful for him and for all he does for us. Since we've been here-I have come to realize that while I may not have been a sheltered child, I am not fully aware and someone ignorant to the farmer/cowboy ways. (like dutch oven cooking) So needless to say-I have had my eyes opened many times to new and fun ways of the west.

Moving on...sorry about my little rant/life story/update, but seriously-it was so cool, I was asked to slice the potatoes previously for the event, and with my wonderful food processor I was able to get it all done in a matter of minutes. So I perfectly sliced these MASSIVE potatoes for the event. So I get to the cookoff and we start making these potatoes with bacon, onions, tons of different spices and they turned off incredible.

Not only did we do potatoes, but we had cakes, chicken, baked beans and a variety of other foods all made from these little dutch ovens! It seriously was incredible and it was such a party. Now that I have been sufficently filled and smell like delicious smoke and meat (the hubby loves it-haha) I have been on the look out of how I can purchase a dutch oven and where I can start making delicious meals from the backyard. I love learning new things!

Julie's baby shower

What a fun day! It has been filled with plenty of food, photos and lots of family and fun! Julie is one of the greatest girls you will EVER meet. She is so kind and beautiful and can make anyone feel like a million bucks. Her amazing mom and cousin put on a great suprise baby shower for Julie today and I had the opportunity to join in on the fun! There was tons of delicious food and some fun games and lots of gifts for Julie's baby boy! Her husband, Morgan, (who is also my cousin) joined in on the fun and experienced all of the excitement with us all.

Overall it was a ton of fun and I met some wonderful people as we joined in celebrating Julie and Morgan's future baby boy! Congrats you two-you are going to be the best parents ever!

Lindsay and Devin's engagements

I had a lovely time with Lindsay and Devin. They are good friends from Washington and will be getting sealed next week and will have a ring ceremony later this summer. Here is a preview of the fun we had around Rexburg.

Oreo Graveyard Brownies

Oh my gosh-seriously this is a chocolate overload. SO DELICIOUS! I found this idea online (I"ll add the link as soon as I find it again) I changed the recipe a bit by switching a box brownie with a homemade one and added some extra peanutbutter. Overall-it was a hit and I will be making it again soon! My hubby, David, described it as a personal chocolate coma, and while that may sound a little intense, once you make it you will not regret it! Be sure to give it plenty of time to set before you serve-the chocolate/peanutbutter top took a little longer than I expected. Enjoy!

Oreo Graveyard Brownies

3 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 Tb water
2/3 cup Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1 tsp espresso powder (optional)
1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)
3-4 cups chocolate chips
30 (ish) crushed oreos
1 1/2 cup peanut-butter

Brownie: mix all wet ingredients (water, oil, egg) with the sugars until creamy. In another bowl mix the salt, flour, and cocoa together and sift it in with the wet ingredients. As I always mention this step is key because no one wants to bite into a chunk of cocoa powder. After you mix that well, add 1 cup of the chocolate chips and about 1/3 of the crushed oreos to the batter. Put it into a 8x8 greased pan for 20 min. set at 350 degrees.

After 20 min, put out the brownies and add 1 cup of chocolate chips along with the rest of the crushed oreos and place them on top of the brownie. Put it back in the oven for about 5-7 minutes for the brownie to finish baking.

While the brownie is finishing in the oven, on the stove top melt the rest of the chocolate chips and the peanut  butter together and once the brownies are out of the oven, pour it over the brownie and fill in all of the oreo gaps! Put it in the fridge for about 2 hours ( I know it seems like forever) for it to set completely. After that just slice and serve! It is REALLY REALLY rich, so keep some milk on hand, you will need it! Enjoy!

Welcome!

Wahoo! Another blog-I am excited to begin posting about the things that I love! First of all, if you just happen to stumble on this randomly-I am Mandy Gailey. I love food, photos, fashion, fun...lots of things that start with the letter F. I asked my husband if naming the blog ' My favorite F words ' would be a little too much, and he said yes. So 'The good life' will have to stick until I figure out something better.

Anyways...this week has been CRAZY and will have plenty of entrys to catch up. From making a plethora of cookies and desserts, Easter traditions, my first dutch oven baking adventure, and a baby shower for one of my best friends Julie! Well I better get posting. :)