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Preparation ‘Tis the season for tidying and cleaning up your spaces (the first day of spring is finally just a few days away!). According to a new survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of TruGreen, sticking with your annual spring cleaning routine could help with your well-being. Of the 2,000 American homeowners who were part of this study, researchers found that 78 percent of them noticed a connection between the cleanliness of their home and their health and wellness....

Preparation For a fresh, beautiful, and delicious appetizer to serve during the holidays, try a crudités platter. It’s the ultimate guilt-free grazing option to enjoy ahead of the holiday meal. A crudités platter typically consists of an assortment of raw vegetables and dips, but this is definitely not your average vegetable tray. It’s totally next-level in terms of both look and taste. When done right—and we’ll show you how here—preparing a crudités platter is easy, and the end result is always impressive....

You’ll need ground walnuts to make the crust for this recipe. You can substitute pecans if you’re not into walnuts. How to grind walnuts: Can you grind walnuts in a blender? No. A blender only has two blades, and that’s not enough to grind nuts. Use a food processor instead. A food processor has four blades, and it can more easily grind nuts. How can you grind nuts without a food processor?...

These aren’t just your regular pancakes. Dotted with warm and melted chocolate chips, these flapjacks are sensational in every bite. With this easy peasy recipe, you can skip a visit to the diner and enjoy pancakes in your jammies! Just be sure to double the batch. They’re so good, you’ll keep coming back for more. Homemade Chocolate Chip Pancakes Chocolate and carbs join forces to make the most indulgent breakfast!...

Grab a big bag of corn chips to dunk in these! Guacamole How it’s made it Mexico, a cut above the usual! Get the recipe. Salsa Healthy and delicious, nothing in a jar can compete with this! (PS It’s also a 5 minute dump and whizz job). Get the recipe. Queso (Mexican Cheese Dip) Copycat of everybody’s favourite cheesy dip except it’s made with real cheese, no Velveeta in sight!...

You’ll love the creamy broth (but no cream!), and how the tender beans absorb the flavour. Leave some of the ham tender and juicy, pan fry some to make it crispy. It’s the best of both worlds! Leftover Ham Bone Soup! Ham bones are highly coveted in my circle . Each year, I gather as many as I can and stash them in my deep freezer. The Christmas just gone, I went one step further and gifted several Glazed Hams under the guise of being a thoughtful friend....

When you’re out and about in the coffee shops, it’s not often you’ll spot orange scones. It’s a unique flavor for a scone. Now you can bake them at home! This scones batter has canned mandarin oranges mixed in. So when you take a bite you’ll get a chunk of one of those delicious little mandarin oranges. Everyone loves those, right? This recipe makes 14 mini scones. Mini scones are perfect for snacking, and they are a good addition to breakfast without being too heavy....

2 lbs stew beef 8 cups beef stock 6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 8 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 8 stalks celery, sliced 1 can whole tomatoes, with juice cornstarch , or flour sea salt pepper 2 tbsp olive oil On a plate pour out some cornstarch then season it with some freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Drop the beef in and roll it around then coat it....

Preparation A lot of people choose to swap their spectacles for less intrusive contact lenses. While contacts are a great alternative to glasses, there are some things that contact wearers need to know to keep their eyes (and vision) healthy. We spoke with VSP network doctor, Gabriela Olivares, OD, at The Eye Center in Pembroke Pines, Fla., to get the lowdown on contact lens care. We’ve all gotten into the habit of washing our hands frequently over the past few years, which Dr....

Preparation Even a properly installed ceiling fan can begin to wobble over time without regular maintenance or cleaning. Luckily, these off-kilter appliances can be fixed quickly—tightening loose screws or clearing off dust typically does the trick. Ahead, Eamon Lynch, the director of warranty service at Power Home Remodeling, explains exactly what you need to know if these solutions don’t cut it. According to Lynch, the first step towards fixing your wobbly fan is paying a visit to your electrical breaker box....

If you liked this post, you may also wish to read about the other cheese tours I took in Italy: Searching for the Best Cheeses in Italy Visit to an Italian Gorgonzola Cheese Factory Visit to an Italian Provolone Factory Next Up: Parmigiano Reggiano! Disclaimer: I’m currently under contract with Sam’s Club to write about my experience with visiting cheese companies in Italy. Honest opinions and observations are shared....

Preparation There are lots of great reasons to grow your own food, but we’ll stick to our favorites: You know exactly where it comes from. By working the soil organically, you help the environment. And of course, vegetables taste infinitely better when you cultivate them yourself. (Maybe unabashed pride adds extra flavor?) It’s also fun, relaxing, and—pun intended—grounding. So, whether you have a big plot or just a few pots, read on, and get ready to roll up your sleeves....

Preparation When buying gifts for your circle of friends has become more of a chore than a treat, it’s time to cut back. “Gift giving usually starts very organically,” says Jodi RR Smith, president of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, but it often balloons as friends get married and have children, and then dwindles as you and your inner circle settle in different towns or states. Eventually, “it has been years since you saw them and the gift exchange by mail that was fabulous in your mid-twenties is starting to feel stale,” she says....

Tomato soup is scrumptious comfort food that soothes the heart and soul. It has to be thick though, otherwise, it won’t be as good. If your soup comes out too thin? Relax, because there are many ways to fix that. Whether you want your soup to have a slight, medium, or immense thickness, these simple techniques will do the trick. Intrigued? Well, without further ado, here are 8 easy ways to thicken your tomato soup and make it souper amazing....

My friend JP is the Queen of Salads. When she puts on a summer lunch, she makes the most amazing spread of salads. So good that you don’t even think twice there’s no big slab of meat, or piles of carbs. Her salads are always interesting, satisfying, perfectly dressed and never, ever boring. If all salads in this world were as good as hers, I could swear off meat and carbs forever....

Pancakes recipe Homemade pancakes shouldn’t be complicated. It doesn’t matter if they come out wonky or with a splotchy surface instead of being a beautiful, even golden brown – after all, they’ll get smothered in toppings. But they should be soft and fluffy. And in my world, not too sweet. Because….you know. Toppings. Load up on toppings! Any day starting with homemade pancakes is a GREAT day! What goes in homemade pancakes This is what you need:...

3 cups broccoli, roughly chopped 1 lb elbow macaroni ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp Dijon mustard ½ cup onion, chopped 2 tbsp capers, drained and chopped Kosher salt , to taste pepper, freshly ground, to taste ½ tsp red pepper flakes, (optional) Bring a very large pot of water to a boil. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt, return to a boil, and cook the pasta according to package directions, until just al dente....

If you’re experienced at grilling, then you know that chicken thighs often turn out to be a much better friend of the grill than chicken breasts. Breasts tend to dry out a bit unless they’re pounded out rather thinly, but chicken thighs grill-up quickly and they are usually far more tender and juicy. In this recipe, the thighs are quick-marinated in a homemade plum glaze that has a ton of flavor....

Preparation While you’re spring cleaning your kitchen, you may find that it’s time to upgrade your bakeware and kitchen tools. If that’s the case, you’re in luck—KitchenAid is hosting a major savings event on many of their most popular countertop appliances. The sale, which is happening now through April 10, includes items like ceramic and stainless steel mixing bowls, spiralizers and meat grinders, coffee grinders, electric kettles, cold brew coffee makers, and more....

Preparation Many home dwellers are quick to transform their basements into gyms, home theaters, or play areas for their little ones—and as you make these decisions, it’s important to consider the style and flow of the space. After all, with the right modifications, your basement just might become one of the most trafficked areas in your home. So, shouldn’t it look its best, too? Fortunately, there are plenty of basement ideas that strike a design trifecta: easy, affordable, and a sight for sore eyes....