I went to Target and Bath & Body Works plus YouTube video

SO, here is my first vlog! I've discovered that I actually love doing this :)). I have a YouTube channel now just for Hannah's Helpful Hints, and I'm SUPER EXCITED!

Today I went to Target and Bath & Body Works! It's two days after Christmas so they were having some sales, plus I just wanted to buy some stuff I need/want. There's a link below the picture for the HAUL video :). Enjoy!

Watch the haul here!

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah's Helpful Hints! :)

Oatmeal Mask

Well, it's certainly been a while since I've posted. With the holidays here, I have a little extra time on my hands so I thought I'd blog about a face mask I'm trying.

Sometimes when my skin isn't cooperating, I rub some olive oil into it (for about 5min) and then steam it for a few minutes (8-10). Today my skin is being especially frustrating, so I'm trying something new I found online here: http://www.urbanskincare.com/blog/beauty-recipe-at-home-oatmeal-mask/

It's an oatmeal mask! I have no idea if it's going to work, but apparently oatmeal is good for your skin, so I thought I'd give it a try. All I did was mix some oatmeal and water in a bowl and applied it to my face as best as I can. I'll probably leave it on for the next half hour or so.


picture from urbanskincare.com

It's just something nice you can do for your skin, or even with friends on a "girl's night". I'll have to let ya'll know how it works out!

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah's Helpful Hints! :)

Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas

My mom and sister, Sarah recently discovered an INCREDIBLE recipe blog called Budget Bytes. This is the first recipe that I tried and I fell it love with it! These quesadillas are vegetarian, really easy to make, cheap, delicious, and VERY filling! We served them with sour cream, salsa, and tortilla chips on the side.

Here are two pictures (one of the quesadilla filling and the other of the finished product). Scroll down for the recipe link.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah's Helpful Hints! :)

 http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2012/02/hearty-black-bean-quesadillas-661.html

French Toast

Happy Friday the 13th!

As promised, here is a simply how-to on french toast. Don't worry, it's a very simple recipe and yummy too! It's something you can whip up in minutes and eat alone or with bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, or anything else on the side!

You will need:
A frying pan
A stove
A little butter (just for the pan)
A bowl big enough to fit a slice of bread
A fork
A pancake turner
3 slices of bread (white or wheat, whichever you prefer)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I REALLY like cinnamon, but you don't have to use as much as I did.)
Powdered sugar (optional)

Step 1: Crack egg into bowl. Add milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Step 2: Beat this with a fork for about 30 seconds.

Step 3: Turn burner to medium heat and put a very small amount of butter in pan (you may need to do this now and again between cooking pieces of french toast.) Wait until butter bubbles a little like this:

Step 4: Quickly dunk a slice of bread in mixture. Coat both sides. Put in pan.

At this point, it may be hard to gauge how long it's going to take for it to cook. My suggestion: lift a corner with pancake turner now and again to check it.

Step 5: Flip it over when it looks golden brown, like this:

Step 6: Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top, and ENJOY! :)

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah's Helpful Hints! :)

Homemade Conditioner

During the winter months, our hair can get really dry. There's nothing attractive about dry hair.  I wanted to try a homemade conditioner so I tried to find a good recipe online. The problem was, they all required ingredients like essential oils that I just don't have! My solution: homemade conditioner with olive oil. Olive oil is all natural and very good for your hair and skin :)

You will need:
1 plastic grocery bag
A small bowl
Extra Virgin olive oil
Conditioner
A butterfly clip

Start with dry hair. I did this conditioning treatment in the evening when my hair was already dry.

Step 1: Pour about one tablespoon of olive oil into bowl. (You may want to double recipe depending on hair thickness and length.)

Step 2: Add about the same amount of conditioner. I used my regular conditioner, but I suppose you could use a deep conditioner for extra moisture :)

Step 3: Mix! I just used my finger, but you can use a spoon if you prefer.

Step 4: Run this through your hair, concentrating on scalp and ends. Again, you may need to double the recipe. My hair is medium length and very fine, so I just made a little.

Step 5: Bend over and put hair in plastic bag. You want it to fit similarly to a shower cap. I used a small butterfly clip to secure it to my head.

Step 6: Let this do its work on your hair for an hour. I watched a TV show while I waited :)

Step 7: Rinse conditioner out of hair, then shampoo and condition as usual.

Hannah's Helpful Hints about hair:

1) While this special recipe is good to do once in a while, you should condition your hair with regular conditioner every day, especially if you have dry hair.
2) There is no need to wash your hair every single day. I rinse and condition my hair every day, but only wash it a few times a week. If you have an oily scalp, you might consider just washing your scalp with shampoo, then conditioning.
3) After you condition/wash and condition your hair, put a leave-in conditioner on the ends of your hair and a little throughout.
4) Hair serum makes hair very soft and shiny! Use just a little (about a pea-sized amount), concentrating on ends.
5) When blow-drying, straightening, or curling your hair, ALWAYS use a heat defense product.When straightening hair, run the straightener through your hair more like a comb to avoid heat damage.
6) If your bangs look a little oily and you don't have dry shampoo, consider putting a little baby powder or face powder in them. Just make sure to brush it out so it isn't noticeable.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah's Helpful Hints! :)

To learn more about the benefits of olive oil, visit: http://www.iheartoliveoil.com/about-olive-oil/olive-oil-for-skin-body-hair

Crepes

Now hold on. "Crepe" is just another word for a super thin, really yummy pancake. You can have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a snack!

You will need:
A stove
A frying pan
A pancake turner
A wire whisk
A large spoon
A medium-sized bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs

Step 1: Turn burner to medium heat (after making the first few crepes, you'll want to turn it a little higher.)

Step 2: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.

Step 3: Melt butter in microwave-safe bowl. It should end up looking like this:

Step 4: Add butter, milk, vanilla, and eggs to flour mixture.

Step 5: Whisk slowly and then beat with whisk until smooth. Mixture may have teeny tiny lumps in it, but that's nothing to worry about.

Step 6: Take a stick of butter and swirl a little around your pan. Let it get a little bubbly, like this.

Step 7: Pour a little of your crepe batter (almost a 1/4 cup) into skillet and immediately pick up pan and swirl around until the batter wont move anymore. It might take a few tries to get this just right.

When crepe is cooked, it should bubble and turn upward on the edges.

It should look something like this when you flip it over.

Tip: when you're cooking crepes, you'll want to butter your pan every three crepes or so. That way they won't stick to the pan and will turn out golden brown.

Now what? You can eat your crepes plain, with powered sugar, fill them with jam, or any way you'd like them! You can eat them like pancakes, roll them up like a burrito, or fold them in half or quarters! If you're not sure what you want to do with them, here are a few of Hannah's Helpful Hints.

Powdered Sugar Glaze
About a quarter cup of powered sugar, a teaspoon of milk, and a few drops of vanilla. You want it to be thin, not thick like frosting. Add a little more milk if necessary.

Brown Sugar Filling
About a quarter cup of brown sugar, a half teaspoon of cinnamon, and a half tablespoon of butter. Mix with fingers.

Fruity Filling
Strawberries (sliced), black berries, or blue berries taste great with crepes! Just put your favorite berries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top of your crepes.

Chocolate-Topped
Melt chocolate chips and drizzle on top of crepe. Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top of that. Similar to a chocolate-filled pastry.

Savory Filling
Chopped pepperoni and cheddar cheese.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah's Helpful Hints! :)

To learn more about crepes, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepe

Breakfast Sandwich

It's a quick, simple, and tasty way to start the day! It's also great to make and take with you! Right after making it, just wrap it in some foil or wax paper and eat it on the go :)

You will need:
A stove
A frying pan
A pancake turner
Pam (or other cooking spray)
1 egg
American or cheddar cheese
1 bagel (or two pieces of bread)
Salt and pepper (optional)

Step 1: Turn burner to medium heat.

Step 2: When pan is hot, spray lightly with Pam.

Step 3: Crack egg into pan. (TIP: It's easiest to crack an egg on a hard, flat surface.)

Step 4: If you don't want the yolk to be runny, you can tap it with the pancake turner at this point. It should look similar to the picture below.

Step 5: While waiting for egg to cook, put bagel in the toaster, flat sides facing out. Put toaster on a low setting and on "Bagel", if toaster has that feature.

Step 6: Continue cooking egg. Once it is done, turn burner off and place a piece of American or cheddar cheese on top. Wait for it to melt.

Step 7: If you would like, you can add a little salt and pepper for flavor.

Step 8: Put egg on bagel...and enjoy!
(Although I didn't have any on hand, you can also add a slice of ham or some strips of bacon to your sandwich. Extra protein and extra delicious!)

My nephew had something similar to eat this morning. Egg on toast! It's a good alternative if you don't have any bagels.

To me, breakfast isn't breakfast without some sort of beverage. I love juice, but my doctor told me to not drink it all the time, because it contains a lot of sugar. My solution: fill glass halfway with ice and halfway with juice. That way you still have a nice (and very cold!) drink, but it's better for you.

 Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah's Helpful Hints! :)

Nail Polish

We love it.

It’s so pretty! It’s so shiny! It makes us feel so feminine and put together every time we look down at our manicure. But let’s face it ladies. We hate spending a lot of cash on it, we hate waiting for it to dry, and we certainly hate removing it. Want to hear Hannah’s Helpful Hints on the subject? Keep reading…

First, it can be expensive. To some, spending $7 on a bottle of nail polish may seem like no big deal. But seriously? That’s more money than I want to spend for sure. My Solution: Wet ‘N Wild. It’s about $2 or $3 and it dries pretty fast.

 Second, when will it dry?! We sit there, trying to be productive while waiting for our nails to dry, but how can we get much of anything done without the use of our hands? My solution: Revlon Quick Dry. At about $5, it’s a fast solution to speeding up the process. Apply polish, wait about a minute, apply a very small amount of Quick Dry to nails, wait another minute and finally rinse fingers.

Lastly, who enjoys removing dark purple glittery nail polish? No one?! Me either! We don’t enjoy sitting there for a half hour, rubbing and rubbing our nails and still ending up with stains and bits of glitter from our last manicure. My solution: up&up Acetone Nail Polish Remover. It isn’t something you want to use on a regular basis, but for those difficult-to-remove polishes, it sure comes in handy! It’s really inexpensive too.

 Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more of Hannah’s Helpful Hints! :)