Hailey's Helpful Hints

Entertaining this 4th of July weekend? Tired of the same 'ol boring BBQ menu? Step it up this 4th of July with these delicious slider recipes. These are a sure hit and perfect when feeding a large group. Everyone loves finger foods. Everyone loves sliders. Just make sure to make enough. Everyone goes back for slider seconds. ~Chipotle Sliders~ Ingredients: Chipotle Mayonnaise: 1 cup mayonnaise 2 chipotles in adobo sauce (ask man at grocery store on where to find!) 1 tablespoon adobo sauce 1/2 lime, juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper Sliders: 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20 Salt and freshly ground black pepper Cheese slices, your choice Mini burger buns Burger Bar (if desired): Chipotle Mayonnaise Pickles Red onion slices Directions: Chipotle Mayonnaise: Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sliders: Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Form the meat into 2 to 3-ounce portions, packed tightly. Season with salt a...

Looking for a new concoction to kick off your 4th of July festivities? Give this red, white and blue spritzer a try. ~4th of July Cocktail~ Courtesy of The Food Network Magazine Ingredients: 1 ounce watermelon schnapps 1 big splash cranberry juice 1 slice lemon 1 slice lime 1 1/2 ounces tequila 1/4 ounce blue curacao 1/2 ounce simple syrup Watermelon wedge, for garnish (optional) Directions: Mix the schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker; pour into an ice-filled glass. Muddle the lemon and lime slices, tequila, blue curacao and simple syrup (to make a batch, dissolve sugar in equal parts hot water and chill) in the shaker. Slowly strain into the glass over the red layer. Garnish with watermelon, if desired. Cheers!

Awhile back a faithful reader Lisa asked about the best under eye dark circle cream . Now I've been asked about the best eye wrinkle cream. Sorry Christy it's taken me so long. Ok so we've all heard the claims: "Younger-looking eyes in just 24 hours" (Avon Anew Rejuvenate), a "brighter, vibrant, refreshed" eye area (Clinique Repairwear). Americans must really want these boasts to be true since it's said that we spend more than a billion dollars a year on wrinkle removers. Based on the research I did, I'm not going to tell you not to waste your money as there are some that are worth trying but just don't expect them to turn the clock back to your dewy-skinned youth. There were several studies done that revealed that after testing various creams; 1) results varied and 2) changes were minor. Products tested reduced wrinkle length or depth for at least some people and did nothing for others. Even among the best-performing products, wrinkle reduct...

On our way home from a family day up at Lake Arrowhead (gorgeous!) as I was thinking about what my "Sweet Sunday" post would be, I received a text from Mia, my good friend and queen of desserts, saying she had an AMAZING Sweet Sunday dessert for me to blog about. Praise the Lord! Thanks Mia for making today's post so easy! Although I've never tried this, Mia swears it's to die for. Super healthy and even if you aren't a peanut butter fan, she claims it doesn't even taste anything like peanut butter. ~Clean Eating Caramel Popcorn~ Ingredients: 1/4 cup peanut butter (she used the natural pb, so there isn't any added sugar) 1/2 cup honey 8-10 cups popped popcorn Directions: Tip: Read through the steps first so you know what you to. You’ll need to work quickly. In a small pot, warm the honey on high heat. Bring it to a boil. Let it boil up in the pot about 1 inch and then quickly remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter with a whisk and whisk until smooth. ...

Looking for cheap fun in the sun? My little sis mailed Chase this Beach Ball Sprinkler and he spent hours running through it this past week. All you have to do is inflate the beach ball, hook it up to a hose, and then water flies out of four sprayers on the ball. Children can roll and chase the ball around on the grass or fill pouch in the bottom of the ball with water to keep it stationary. For $10 at Walmart, this is a must-buy if you're looking for an activity to keep the kids cool and occupied on a hot summer day! Available at Amazon.com , Walmart and Target. Have anything that tickled your fancy this week? We'd love to hear!!

If there's one thing that you'll never find my refrigerator without it's Spray Butter. Zero calories and zero fat...of course it's in my refrigerator. I recognize it's probably the most processed item on the grocery shelves but I figure a few squirts here and there, isn't going to kill me. Plus I did some research and there is nothing on the Internet claiming that it's harmful to your health. Recently "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" came out with a few new products. One being the "I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray Made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil." Although they claim it's great for roasting chicken and vegetables and it's got the added benefits of the EVOO, this product, in my opinion, is hands down DISGUSTING!!! The olive oil taste is repulsive. I give this two thumbs DOWN. While we're on the Spray Butter topic - Vons/Safeway grocery stores have recently come out with their own generic brand of Spray Butter. Wh...

Easy, fresh and ready in 15 minutes. My kind of meal. Similar to Margherita Pizza, this is so so yummy! ~Tomato & Basil Pesto Pasta~ Ingredients: Penne Pasta Ripe Sweet 100 tomatoes (type of tomato - small and round; use as many as you prefer) 2 cups fresh Basil leaves, packed 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/3 cup pine nuts 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste What you'll need: Skillet Food Processor Directions: Cook pasta as directed In skillet, add olive oil and slowly heat tomatoes To make Basil Pesto Sauce: *Makes one cup In food processor, combine basil with the pine nuts, pulse a few times. Add garlic, pulse a few more times. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while food processor is on. Stop to scrap down the sides with a spatula. Add grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and ground pepper to taste.