Saturday, December 29, 2012

HBCooks: Green Bean Casserole

In this recipe I take the standard green bean casserole recipe and add some fresh ingredients to make it even better! This is enough to to serve about 5-10 people.

Ingredients:

2lbs. Fresh Green Beans
2 cans of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 regular size can of French Fried Onions
1 1/2 cups of Milk
1-2 cups of Shredded Cheese
1-2 cups Fresh Mushrooms diced
1 cup Onion (any color) diced
5-7 strips of Bacon cooked and diced
Salt and Pepper

Watch the video below to see how it's cooked





Variation:

If you like your green beans less crunching blanch them before adding them to the casserole. (Blanching is cooking the beans and then cooling them off fast with really cold water.)


Let me know what you think and if you try this recipe tweet me a picture!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Holiday Memories: Christmas Day

Yesterday I told you about my favorite Christmas Eve memory and today since it's Christmas I thought I would share my favorite Christmas memory. =)

I think every kid has written a letter to Santa Claus but how many have had Santa write them a letter back? Well, in my house Santa always did and I loved it! I recently found some of the letters and posted one on Twitter and Instagram and I will post it below. 




What is your favorite Christmas Memory?

P.S. Santa also wrote letters to my parents too! ;-)

Monday, December 24, 2012

Holiday Memories: Christmas Eve

Yesterday, I told you what I traditionally do on Christmas Eve and today I thought I would share one of my favorite Christmas Eve memories.

When I was really young (5 or 6) my grandpa (Papa) would take my cousins and I out to look for Santa Claus. We would walk around for about 10 minutes and we always found him in the sky (or so we thought). Then we would race back to my grandparent's house to try and catch him. You see Santa would drop off some presents to us on Christmas Eve and then he would stop by our individual houses later. When we walked in we would always have just missed him but there would be tons of presents under the tree! I loved this and this year my cousin and I are going to carry on the tradition with her children. 

What is your favorite Christmas Eve memory?

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Holiday Traditions: Christmas Eve

Every Christmas Eve my family gets together for dinner at my grandma's house. We have always gotten together on Christmas Eve because it was also his birthday, and even though he has passed away we still get together. This year we are having ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (I will be filming a video about that), brussel sprouts, rolls, cupcakes, apple pie, and I'm sure more. ;-) I will be posting pictures tomorrow so make sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

After dinner we will exchange gifts and enjoy each others company. Then I will go to church at 11pm. It is my favorite service of the year. It's the candlelight service and we sing lots of Christmas carols. It really gets you into the spirit of things. Plus, it's usually actually Christmas Day when you walk out of the church and it just seems like the most fitting place to be. =)




What are your traditions on Christmas Eve?

*Star picture from here.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Holidays: Giving Back


I think it is important to give back all year round but I feel like it is especially important to remember those in need during the holidays. I donate all my old clothes to the Salvation Army year round because when my grandfather was a little boy they use to help out his family. 
Since I was a little girl I have always donated toys (new and used) to the needy kids during Christmas time. My parents would tell me that if I wanted Santa to bring me new toys that I would have to help out other children too. We would go through my toys and donate them to the Salvation Army and then we would go to the toy store and pick out a new toy for a boy and a girl. (These would go to Toys for Tots.) 
As an adult I still do this. I feel it is really important to give to children because they do not understand why their parents may not be able to buy something. They are innocent and it literally brings me to tears thinking about a child with nothing to open on Christmas day.
I usually give to Toys for Tots but the last couple of years my church has teamed up with a local group, the Sandpipers. They collect toys for children in foster care. Children in foster care are not allowed to keep anything that their foster parents may give them. Everything a foster care child gets is through social services, including presents. What the Sandpipers do is collect toys for each child. The child makes a decoration and puts what they want for Christmas on the back. Then they set up a tree and decorate it with the ornaments. You get to choose which child you are going to buy for and you get to keep the ornament as a memory. I really like this because it feels more personal than just dropping a toy in a box.


This year I choose a 1 year old girl who wanted Disney Princess dolls.




 I bought her a couple of the dolls and decided that they needed a house to play in too, so I bought one of those too. ;-) I just wish I could see her face when she opens it. 

How do you give back?




Wednesday, December 19, 2012

My 100th Video: Holiday Glam

Check out my latest tutorial that'll help you get all glammed up for the holidays. It includes a hair and makeup tutorial. =) I hope you like it! Tweet me pictures of your holiday looks!



Friday, December 14, 2012

Beauty QT: Dealing with a Flaky Nose


It is winter now (well close enough!), which means that it is getting much colder and our skin is starting to dry out. What do you do if you notice that the skin on your nose is all flaky and you are not at home? Putting more foundation or powder on it will only make it look worse. If you have non-scented lotion then you can dab some of that on your nose, but most of us have scented hand lotions which irritate your facial skin. 

To get rid of that flaky skin try putting some lip balm on it. I know it sounds weird but it is meant for dry chapped areas. It will instantly sooth your skin and diminish the appearance of the flakes. You will probably have to reapply a couple times throughout the day but it is a great trick. Just make sure your lip balm is clear and doesn’t have any sparkle to it. You don’t want to have Rudolph’s nose. ;-)

My favorite lip balms are EOS, Smooth lips  and Nivea.

What are your favorite lip balms? Will you try this?

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Initial Thoughts: Bioderma



A couple of weeks ago I decided to see what all the hype is about Bioderma. I have heard so many beauty bloggers and vloggers say that it is such a great product and I wanted to try it myself. You can only buy it online in the U.S. and I was able to find the 500ml bottle for $36 on Amazon. It's expensive, but I decided that if it's as good as everyone says it is then it'll be worth it. 
                       


I am not completely sure if I am using it properly because the instructions are in French. In the evening I use it after I wash my face to get the remaining dirt/makeup off my face. I use it in place of my toner (witch hazel). In the morning I use it to cleanse my face instead of washing/using toner.

I love the way Bioderma makes your skin feel! You can definitely feel it get deep into your pores. Unlike toners it doesn't dry out your skin. In fact I think it helps keep the moisture in. Plus, it smells great! ;-) 

I have only been using it for a couple of weeks, and when I started using it I was having serious acne issues. I think it works well and it gets dirt that my toner doesn't get. I will do a full review after I use it a little longer and get a better idea of how well it works. So far though I am with everyone else. I love it! Even my dad likes it! 

*Picture from here.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Gym Update: Week 1

Monday: I wanted to start out easy so I did 20 minutes walking on the treadmill at a 4.5% incline. Then I did 10 minutes on the elliptical machine. According to the calorie counters on the machines I burned about 160 calories. A good start.

Friday: Super busy week and I was too tired to workout after work. I told myself that I had to go Friday night and I did! =) I did 40 minutes on the treadmill at a 5% incline. I burned 235 calories. 

I didn't make my 4 times this week goal but I am happy that I made it to the gym at all. I hopefully will be able to keep this up. =)

Monday, December 3, 2012

Having a Healthy Holiday Season

As you guys know the Fall and Winter are a busy time of year for me and many others too. With the busyness comes laziness. Especially, when it comes to eating and working out. I have not been to the gym in 6 weeks. It's horrible and I am really mad at myself. Luckily though I haven't gained any weight. Instead of waiting to gain weight or until the holidays are over I am going to challenge myself to get back into the habit of working out and you are going to help me stay accountable! Starting today I am going to head back to the gym! My goal this week is to go at least 4 times this week and spend at least 30 minutes doing cardio. (I want to ease myself back into my 3 times a week for an hour.) Once a week I'll write about how successful I have been, and I hope that you'll help me with words of encouragement. =)

I am also challenging you to be healthier this Holiday season! I know you can do it! I'd love to hear your plan.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Still a Little Girl


I loved playing dress up when I was a little girl. I saw this picture on Pinterest and believe this is so true. Clothes are so much fun and there are so many different styles out there. I still love trying all different styles and trends. While I have a basic style that I stick to I still have my days where I may be a little more rocker or more girlie.

Do you agree with this saying? Do you ever still play dress-up?

*Picture from here.


Friday, November 16, 2012

Dry Shampoo Showdown


Over the past year I have been trying to find the right dry shampoo for my hair. I have very long hair that is fine. I don’t like to wash it everyday because it dries out my ends, but I have oily hair. I don’t want to have gorgeous hair one day and my hair be plastered to my head the next, which is why I have been on a quest. =)

Treseme
 I had heard so many great things about it and I really wanted to like it. I just don’t think it worked with my hair. It just made it feel thick and dirtier. It didn’t make my roots look less oily. I think it made my hair look worse. It may just not work with fine hair.

Grade: F

Batiste
I tried this one because it was meant for darker hair and didn’t leave as much of a white residue. It worked really well. It made my hair feel cleaner and it definitely looked less greasy. It was my favorite until....

Grade: A

Suave
I tried the Suave. This stuff is awesome! (You may remember me mentioning it in my August Top 5) Not only does it make my hair look clean, it makes it feel cleaner too! Plus, it smells amazing! Yes, it gives that white residue but it blends in really well. This is definitely my new favorite!

Grade: A+


What dry shampoo do you like?
Check out how to apply dry shampoo here.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Beauty Essentials: On the Go


So, I was cleaning out my purse the other day and noticed that some items that I put into my purse makeup bag disappear while others are always there or multiply! I figured that the items items that are always there or multiply are my on the go beauty essentials.




I always have:
  • Powder
  • Blotting paper
  • Eye drops
  • Tweezers (although I don't really remember using these ever)
  • Heel Protector (This is great for when you feel a blister starting)
  • Hand lotion
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Comb
  • Hair ties
  • Evian spray (mostly in the summer)
  • Lipbalm/lipstick (these are the ones that multiply like crazy!!)
  • Lip Pencil


What are your On the Go Beauty Essentials?

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Bad Day Fix


When I’m having a bad day there are a few things that I like to do to try and perk myself up.

If I wake up in a bad mood or not feeling well I try to pamper myself a little bit. I’ll alway myself to have a sweet breakfast, like a donut. (YUM!) I will also force myself to spend a little extra time on my makeup. I will do a full face of makeup even if all I am doing that day is hanging around the house. There is something about doing my makeup and reminding myself that I am beautiful that helps me feel better.

If it’s the end of the day I will pamper myself. I will take a super long shower by candlelight. (I don’t take baths...ever.) I’ll give myself a facial and pamper my skin in general. Then I go to bed early, spray my pillow and sheets with aromatherapy oils, light my BBW aromatherapy candle, and read a book.

What do you do to perk yourself up when you’re having a bad day?

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Tutorial: How I dyed my hair!

This is how I dyed my hair recently. I used Clairol Natural Instincts in the color Cinnaberry.




Contest Rules:

1. You must be subscriber to my channel

2. This is open internationally!

3. You must be 18 or older or have your parents permission

4. Leave a comment telling me what you think of my hair or a

 story about when you dyed your hair (on the YT page).

5. Winners will be announced on my Facebook and Twitter 

(links are below) on November 16th!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Crest 3D White Strips: Initial Thoughts

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook then you'll know that I received a free box of Crest 3D White Strips from Influenster. You may have heard of Influester's Voxboxes where they send out a bunch of free products to a select number of people, but they also send out individual products too. I am super excited to use these because I have used them in the past and like them. It has been at least 4 years since I used them last and I am excited to see what improvements they've made.

Today, is the first time that I have used them and I wanted to give you my initial thoughts. As I am writing this they are on my teeth. =)

I received a full size box with 20 applications. The box is really big compared to how small the actual strips are. Literally half the box wasn't being used and I really feel like they are wasting resources. The ones I received are the Advanced Seal and I have to say they really do seal onto your teeth. I remember the old ones use to move around constantly and the whitening gel would leak out and taste super nasty. Crest has definitely fixed that problem. I can talk without any problems. Also they stick on so well that I had a bit of trouble getting them off the first time. You only have to wear them for 30 minutes once a day which is really nice. I noticed on the directions that it says you can wear them up to 2 hours for a deep whitening but I don't know if I could go that long without drinking. ;-)

After 30 minutes I took the strips off and really didn't notice a difference. Only time will tell. I'll do a full review on my Youtube channel with before and after pictures so, be on the look out for that. =)

*The Crest 3D White Strips were sent to me by Influenster for review. All opinions are my own

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Cooking Channel!

About a year and a half ago I started up a cooking channel, but after a bit I stopped. I have recently restarted the channel under a new name, HBCooks. Right now there are only the old videos up but I have a couple new ones already recorded and they will go up starting this week. I hope you enjoy them, and if you try any of the recipes please let me know! 

Monday, November 5, 2012

Ulta Haul and a Giveaway!!


Check out my haul! Make sure to comment on the actual Youtube page to be entered in the giveaway.

Beauty Wishlist: Makeup Sets

Here are some products that are on my wishlist. They are all set or palettes. You can find them all on Sephora.com and I will link each one. 

Too Faced Shadow Bon Bon Set- I saw this on Beauty Broadcast and fell in love with it.

Too Faced Natural Face Natural Radiance Face Palette- Again saw this on Beauty Broadcast and I thought it would be great for when I am traveling. Almost everything you need is right there.

Urban Decay Naked Palette- Yes, I know I am so late on this. I just haven't had the money to spend, but I have played with it in the stores and I really do think it's a great palette.

Urban Decay Ocho Loco Glide-on Pencil Set- I have two UD 24/7 eyeliners and I love them! They are great because they are very creamy and you can smudge them out for an awesome smokey eye. So, of course I want them in every color now! ;-)

Tarte Fantastic Foursome 4-piece Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush Enthusiast Set- Sheesh that's a mouth full! TiffanyD hauled these in a recent video and I have always wanted to try them. I have heard a lot of great things about these blushes.

Tarte 5 piece Lipsurgence Collector's Set- I received one of these in a Birchbox awhile back and even though the color is way wrong I love the formula and want to try more out. I have a full review here.

Stila Vibrant in Vancover Travel Palette- I have several of these and they really are great for traveling, especially weekend trips. They fit perfectly in your purse. They have them in so many color options too!

Benefit The Pretty Committee- This kit has some really great highlighting products like High Beam and Eye Bright.

Sephora Favorites Super Stars Beauty Essentials- I love the idea of these kits because you get to try so many great products that are high end and super popular like, Nars blush in Orgasm and Make Up Forever HD Microfinish Powder.

These would all make great Christmas gifts for your friends!

What's on your beauty wishlist?

Look out for future Beauty Wishlists, Makeup and Skin Care, too!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Sorry!

I just wanted to say that I'm sorry there haven't been any posts in a few days. I have been really busy at work because it's the end of the quarter and grades are due. This in turn has also made my cleaning suffer and I have been trying to catch up on that. I have tons of blog ideas. I just need to find the time to actually write them and take the pictures for them. I hope to be back on track by the end of this week. Thanks for understanding.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Halloween and I also want to wish my grandma a Happy 83rd Birthday!!! I love you Grandma!



I am taking my grandma to dinner tonight. What are you guys up to?



I hope all of you have a safe and scary night!

*Pics are from here and here

Monday, October 29, 2012

HB Cooks: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

So awhile back I tweeted a picture of my tomatillo salsa and several of you asked me how I did it. It's pretty easy and really yummy. 

First you need about 1 pound of tomatillos. In L.A. they are really easy to find and they are in the regular drugstore. They look like green tomatoes with a husk on them. (They are actually from the gooseberry family.) Pick ones that are firm and clean. When you get home peel the husk off and wash them. (They will be a little sticky but that's okay.) If you like your salsa spicy then wash a jalapeno too.



Now, you need to roast them. You can do this in a cast iron pan, your broiler, or on a grill, like me. Roast them (and the jalapeno) until they are slightly charred on all sides. 


Then place the jalapeno in a bag for about 5-10 minutes. The steam in the back will help you peel the skin off.


Then take a paper towel and use it to peel off the skin and pull out all the seeds. Be careful not to burn yourself and make sure you wash your hands afterwards!


Then put everything in the blender and puree. (Not shown but really good- add about a handful of fresh cilantro to the blender.) 


Salt and pepper to taste and store. It's great with chips or on enchiladas. Let me know if you try this!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

August Birchbox: Jouer Lip Gloss



This was in my August Birchbox. 

It’s a bright pink, very pretty. It has a doe foot applicator which I am partial to. The product itself is very sheer and not super sticky. I like it, but I feel I already have similar products. 

Grade: B


Picture will be up soon. =)

Friday, October 26, 2012

Halloween Favorites

Here are some of my favorite Halloween things that I have seen on the internet.


I love cake pops! These are so cute!! I wish I was talented enough to make these myself. 
*Pic from here.



These creamy ghost ice cubes would look great in a Halloween party punch.
*Pic from here.


How cute is this?!? I love Hello Kitty and I think this would look so cute on my porch!
*Pic from here.

Check out more of my favorites on Pinterest.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Birchbox: October


This is what was in my Birchbox this month. It was another disappointing month.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Tips: Wake Up Your Eyes in the Morning

A lot of mornings I wake up with swollen and crusty (yuck!) eyes. This generally makes it harder for me to wake up. I have found that if my eyes are awake the rest of me will follow.




The first thing I do is take a warm damp cloth and get rid of all the crusty bits (again yuck!) Then I use Rohto Cool eye drops. They get rid of the redness and the menthol helps make your eyes feel more refreshed. (WARNING: if you have sensitive eyes the menthol might be too harsh for your eyes. The menthol can kind of sting at first until your eyes are more use to it.) 




Then, I use my Garnier Anti-Puff eye roller. The roller is metal so it stays cool and this helps with the swelling. (Some people like to put it in the fridge but I am too lazy to walk to my fridge to get it in the morning.) The serum also has caffeine in it which aids in the swelling too. 




Now, that my eyes are awake and caffeinated it’s time to caffeinate the rest of me!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Halloween Tutorial: Candy Corn




I hope you like my Candy Corn inspired look. =)

Friday, October 19, 2012

Mac Brush Cleanser + Tip


I really like, but then again I have nothing to compare it to since it’s the only brush cleanser I have used. =) I know some people think it’s expensive ($14), but it works well. If you use my tip you won’t waste a lot of the cleanser. (A complaint I have heard and use to make myself.) 



The best way to use it is to transfer it to a travel size spray bottle. This allows you to pinpoint the cleanser on your brush and you are using a lot less product. I swear my bottle lasts twice as long now. I may try some others in the future but it’s hard when I really like the product I have been using for years. =)


Grade: A-

What is your favorite brush cleanser?

Monday, October 15, 2012

Free Essie Nail Polish


I recently heard about the website Klout from SayAnythingBr00ke. It’s a website where you get a score for just doing your normal social networking stuff. The more you network or are active online the higher your score goes and more free offers are available to you. 



I was thinking I’d try it but I didn’t have any high hopes for it. I have been a part of Influenster for almost a year and have received nothing so I didn’t think Klout would be any better. Boy was I wrong. I think I had been signed up for two weeks when I saw an offer for a free Essie nail polish from their Fall collection and I qualified! I was so excited. I received my nail polish within a couple of weeks and it is full sized.



The color I received is called Shopenomics. I couldn’t figure out what color it was for awhile. In the bottle it looked almost black but I knew it had some color to it. Even when I painted my nails I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t until I stepped out into the sunlight that I figured out that it was a super dark green. 

This is not a color I would have bought for myself, but I actually do like it. It’s subtle and does make me think of Fall.

*This is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Review: Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner


Man, I just am not having any luck with shampoo and conditioners lately. I bought this set at CVS and I only paid $5 for both! They are huge too!





Well, I am not very happy with them. I have to use a lot of product and the conditioner doesn’t moisturize enough. I think the shampoo is ok but the conditioner just doesn’t do it’s job. I will be using the bottles up because they are so big and I hate to waste them but I won’t be repurchasing them.

Shampoo Grade: B-
Conditioner Grade: D

What’s your favorite shampoo and conditioner? 

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Video: OOTD - Work




My favorite part is my sweater. Super cute!

Friday, October 12, 2012

August Birchbox: DDF Brightener


This cleanser was in my August Birchbox.  

This is the cleanser I use everyday right now and I love it. It gives you that clean feeling, which for me is a must. I feel like is does brighten because it has AHA in it. The AHA has also been helping to clear my pores, and I have noticed a significant decrease in my blackheads.




I use this in the morning, but you need to be careful because if you have sensitive skin it can cause you to burn. I only use it once a day because I use Garnier Dark Spot remover at night which also has AHA in it.

The only real downside is that the DDF Brightener is super expensive. A full size bottle costs $70! I just can’t see myself actually purchasing it...unless I win the lottery.

Grade: B+

Monday, October 8, 2012

Tarte vs. Revlon



This is another inexpensive vs. expensive showdown. Today I am going to compare Tarte Lip Surgence and Revlon Just Bitten.

Lip Surgence - $20



I was able to try this out because it was a product in my Birchbox back in ______(link video) THe color I have doesn’t look great on me. (It’s a very orangey color.) I do like other aspects of it. I love the texture. It is very smooth. I love that the plumping serum doesn’t sting but it tingles. (It almost tickles) I don’t find that it bleeds or feathers. I can’t vouch for the endurance because I can’t wear it without mixing it with another color.

Just Bitten - $8



I love these! They are super long wearing. They actually last my entire workday. The darker ones seem to fade a bit faster than the lighter shades. The plumping serum doesn’t sting, and the only problem I had with them is that they bleed. I was able to fix that by lining my lips.

Overall

I call this one a tie! But if I really had to choose just one it would be the Revlon Just Bitten because of their price and because they are so easy to purchase. I know that HSN has deals all the time on Tarte products, and that is the perfect time to try them.

Pick up both and let me know what you think.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

One Word: Awwww!



This picture is too cute! It looks a lot like my own cat, Tigger. I never saw Tigger when he was a kitten (he found me when he was 9 months old) but this is how I imagine him looking. Tigger always finds interesting places to sleep; middle of the floor, the cupboard that where we store blankets, and in trees.

Have you found your pet sleeping in any unusual places?

Monday, October 1, 2012

Haul: Clothing!

I said this in my very recent clothing haul, but I have been buying new work clothes and have been trying to make sure that they can do double duty. I went to a fashion show at my grandma's church last Sunday. They do this every year and I have never bought anything because the clothes have all seemed really old. This time there were some more outfits for the younger crowd and my grandma offered to buy them for me. (I love you Grandma!!) So, here is what I got. =)



This scarf is not something I would normally have picked out for myself but it looked really good against the shirt I was wearing and it is SUPER soft. (I'm a sucker for soft things.) It was only $10 too!


This sweater is nice and flowy on top and cinches at the waist. (A must for me.) It is by Ruby Rd. and cost $43.


This is a maxi skirt and I kinda liked the pattern. Plus I like that I won't have to get it shortened. It is by Ruby Rd. and was on sale for $22!


Do you like your clothes to do double duty?

 
Images by Freepik