Hailey's Helpful Hints

You can thank the fabulously witty Andie Mitchell over at Can you Stay for Dinner  for today's dinner recipe. And no that's not a quesadilla. Back in 2005, Andie lost 135 pounds and has an inspirational story of trying to find happiness in her new skin. If you have time, I encourage you to read Parts 1-3 of her Exercise History. A true testament that you don't have to KILL yourself in the gym to lose/maintain weight. She walks. That's it. A girl after my own heart. On a quest to eat healthy while not depriving her of the thing she loves most - food - she has a library of wonderful recipes that you can add to your everyday repertoire. Although these are in the appetizer section of her recipes , I thought these tasty little wraps would be a fantastic light, hand-holdable dinner option - perfect for the kids. They are a cross between a hand pie and a calzone, but much smaller and without that high carb doughiness. The egg roll wrappers allow you to experience the...

STREAMLINE YOUR SPICE RACK. My mom always had the most disorganized spice cupboard. I am convinced it had (and probably still does) spices from the '70's. She's got at least two of everything. If not five. It's just a hodge-podge of randomness and it brings me anxiety any time I have to rummage through it. If this sounds like you, it's time to do some spring cleaning. Contrary to popular belief, spices do have a shelf life and even if you possess a perfectly organized kitchen, a twice-yearly reassessment of your seasoning situation is smart.  You'll be amazed at how much faster meal prep goes after doing this. To streamline your spices, follow these steps and you'll have it done in no time: 1) Gather all herbs and spices in one place. Empty your spice cabinets and spice racks. Grab seasonings from drawers, countertops, the fridge, or wherever else you've got them stashed. Gather everything on a clean table or countertop, so you can see what you've g...

In honor of St. Patty's Day next weekend, I thought something green was in order. I personally will  be serving Mint Chocolate Chip Skinny Cow ice cream bars but for those of you that love baking, you can take it a step further with these festive treats. ~Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies~ Courtesy of Betty Crocker Ingredients: 1 (1 pound 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 1/4 teaspoon mint extract 6 drops green food color 1 egg 1 cup creme de menthe baking chips 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks Directions: 1) Heat oven to 350°F. 2) In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks. 3) Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 4) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. 5) Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperatu...

What tickled my fancy this week? Rimmel's "Non-Stop Glamour" Lipgloss. Mesmerised by my girlfriend's lips this week, I asked her mid-sentence what lipgloss she was wearing. Laughing hysterically, she replied, "Oh my gosh, it's some cheapy Rimmel stuff!" Having last seen Rimmel in my makeup bag some 15-20 years ago, I thought for sure Rimmel was a thing of the past. But oh noooo, Rimmel has a nice display at Target with lots of inexpensive beauteous products. So in my quest to mimic Tracy's lovely lips, I snagged myself some Non-Stop Glamour Lipgloss - a delicate pinky beigey nude with tiny golden flecks. Not shimmer, not glitter. Flecks. Hard to explain but a very subtle golden candle light-ish sheen. I'm always a little hesitant when I buy lip gloss because I can't stand the sticky texture of most gloss. I was however pleasantly surprised that it has a smooth, non-tacky texture and lasts a good while - certainly not 6 hours like they clai...

I've always wondered why when you get married, you're not considered "dating" anymore. You still like them, right? You do enjoy spending time with them, right? Isn't that what dating is?? According to Wikipedia, dating " refers to the act of meeting and engaging in some mutually agreed upon social activity in public, together, as a couple." If that's the case, you're still dating. And just like when you were in the early lovey dovey courtship stages  - pre kids and chaos - you should make dating your spouse a priority. But dating takes work. It means planning and taking time away from the whirlwind of appointments, kids and housework. Sadly, most relationships let their activities take precedence and as an effect, relationships aren't being cultivated and nurtured like they should. Relationship expert and marriage counselor, Michele Weiner-Davis cites kids as being a major reason for the romantic disconnect that may exist between a couple, ...

WHAT:    Volcom's Fooled You Beach Cooler -- $48.99. This cooler has things under control. Not only does it keep your drinks and snacks cool, but it also looks cool. Say goodbye to the days of luggin' that red plastic cooler around. This large, rectangular cooler features stylish, navy striped canvas (which by the way - stripes and nautical are hot this spring/summer) and tan faux leather accents. It's zip closure at top, exterior zipper pocket, handles and adjustable shoulder strap make this very functional. Reflective interior keeps your bevi's cold and the plastic lined interior makes cleaning easy-peasy.

One thing that pisses me off more than anything is acne at age 32. I'm so over it. Luckily I don't get the mounding, red, puss pockets. OMG I would die. I do however tend to get smaller bumps that if the light hits them just right, I can't bare to look at my own self in the mirror. While I do have oily skin (which doesn't help), I know exactly what's causing these confidence crushing little devils - 1) Sweat from working out and 2) Sitting with my hand on my chin while researching and writing blog posts. Thanks guys - I essentially can blame you for 50% of this. :) I've tried everything under the sun and just last week, I found the most effective on-the-spot treatment. TOOTHPASTE . Alittle dab of paste (not gel) on/around the affected area and by morning - gone. Not kidding. At least for me. Have a few pesky pimples you want gonzo?  First you need to get the right kind of toothpaste. Toothpastes that has no or very little fluoride present are best because it is ...