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Annual Christmas Selfie (fail) 2022 Every year I swear to myself that this is the year I’m going to plan and take a FABULOUS Christmas photo of Dozer and myself to share with you. There was chatter about it. Ideas were thrown around. Scouted around online for Dozer Christmas outfits. There was even talk about sneaking Dozer into the shopping centre to use the Santa set! Then here we are on Christmas Eve, and as I have every other year, I’ve found myself in a fluster, stuck for ideas for a creative, fun photo....

Preparation Ask any dermatologist and they will tell you that reapplying sunscreen throughout the day is key to effectively protecting your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays. But on days you’re on the go, or wearing a full face of makeup, reapplying sunscreen isn’t always in the cards. The solution? Powder SPF, “which is typically made of physical UV filters, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide, which are excellent and also great for all skin types,” explains board-certified dermatologist Dr....

I used to work in a small city where my office was several blocks from my parking garage. I remember dreading the rainy days because I’d end up chilled to the bone on rainy winter days. Most days I’d pack my lunch so I could avoid running out into the weather again but sometimes life just got in the way and it was either….make my lunch/be late to work…or go to work on time and starve....

It takes only 10 minutes to make and the whole family will love it. As I’m typing this, my 5 year old and my 2 year old are devouring a bowl of these ham and parmesan noodles! (Even with the green onions!) It is the perfect family-friendly meal. After Christmas, we always have so much leftover ham and I am always trying to come up with ways to use it in our meals and not waste it....

“This noodle stir fry is off the charts when it comes to effort vs output.” This is an example of a fast meal you can make using Slow Cooker Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken which is great for freezing. When it comes to fast meals, this is by far my best for effort vs output. These stir fry noodles are a complete meal with almost an entire bunch of Chinese broccoli tossed throughout the noodles and it honestly takes just 10 minutes to make using leftover Slow Cooker Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken....

Preparation There’s no meal prepping for chef Adrienne Cheatham—at least not in the traditional sense, and we love her for it. Her secrets for preparing easy weeknight dinners involve not overthinking it and making sure both her fridge and pantry are stocked with the key ingredients she relies on each week. Cheatham has worked at renowned restaurants including Le Bernadin and the Red Rooster, was a Top Chef finalist, and is the host of the popular NYC SundayBest pop ups held in secret locations around Harlem....

Preparation Dermatologists are skin care experts with access to the most innovative treatments available, so it’s easy to assume that they never come face to face with any pesky complexion concerns. But that couldn’t be further from the truth: These doctors are just like us, and experience everything from acne to dry skin. When it comes to the latter, even dermatologists have to prevent and manage this condition. “It’s a lot of work to treat dry skin during a flare,” explains Dr....

Preparation We all experience inflammation, which is an umbrella term for the body’s natural response to injury of some kind, be it an infection, physical injury, or toxin. As a result, it’s quite common to experience a slew of symptoms, including muscle stiffness, swelling, fatigue, and pain. “Inflammation is our body’s built-in, natural defense mechanism in response to injury, stress, or infection,” explains Jennifer Giamo, C.P.T., a NSCA-certified personal trainer and founder of Trainers in Transit....

Preparation Whether you’re an avid vegetable gardener or a novice, there are certain conditions in the natural world that can’t be prevented. Chief among them is a drought. When a prolonged period of little rainfall is coupled with scorching summer heat, your once-fruitful vegetable garden will soon show signs of distress—if you don’t take the proper precautions, that is. We spoke with Dominique Charles, an avid gardener, garden consultant, and the founder of Plots & Pans, for tips on how to save your vegetable garden when faced with dry conditions, plus preemptive steps for establishing a healthy foundation....

Preparation Keyboards are high-touch areas, which is why the spaces between the keys (and even under them) can become full of trapped dust and debris. And when you consider how many of us are guilty of eating our lunch or grabbing a quick snack while we’re hard at work, you can imagine just how messy these spots can become over time. The good news is that cleaning them doesn’t have to be a big project—armed with our easy steps, you can get your keyboard back to brand-new status in no time....

Preparation When we talk about baking Martha-worthy pies, we often focus on the perfect crust, fillings, and baking techniques. While each of these elements certainly can make or break a pie, one less often discussed factor is what you’ll bake your pastry in: the pie plate. Just like when baking any kind of treats, the material the baking dish is made of affects the final result. If your pies aren’t coming out exactly how you like, you might want to consider what you are baking them in....

Preparation For as much as we love our cats, we don’t love all of their behaviors. Case in point? There’s truly nothing more frustrating than watching them scratch at our furniture when their own scratching post is mere steps away. But what can you do to correct and redirect this behavior? First, make sure the structure of the scratching post isn’t wobbly; if you find that it is, stabilize it on a more level surface....

Preparation Black History Month takes place every February in honor and celebration of the contributions African Americans have made, and continue to make, to society. Pay respect to the Black community during February—and every other day of the year—by learning about African American history: Visit historic landmarks, read Black stories, and educate yourself on the leaders and movements that have shaped the nation. Ahead, find several meaningful places and books to help you do just that....

Preparation Whether you’re looking to finance a large purchase or simply consolidate all of your credit card debts into a single payment, a personal loan can be a big help. That’s why pre-qualifying for a personal loan can be a small yet significant step to take in the loan application process. “When you prequalify for a loan, a lender typically provides general terms on how much you can borrow and at what rate and terms, using information that you provide,” says Rosalyn Glenn, a financial advisor at Prudential....

It is meaty enough to have on its own as a main, accompanied with a light salad, like my Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (suggest excluding the chickpeas though) or Pasta alla Norma. Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant The roasted eggplant is shown here with a dollop of yoghurt, but I’ve also provided a Tahini Drizzle (vegan) which I also love to use. This is a must try recipe!! This is a recipe adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook (the Chermoula Aubergine with Bulgar & Yoghurt recipe)....

Preparation It’s estimated that more than 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia and, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International, that number is slated to almost double every 20 years. For that reason, it’s important to identify if you’re at-risk for dementia early on so that intervention can be provided. A new study published Tuesday in the journal JAMA Network Open found that a decline in walking speed year over year may be a sign of slower mental processing and can be an early indicator that you’re at risk for developing dementia....

I must say that I think I’m on a roll this year creating awesome 30-minute recipes for Smithfield’s line of pre-marinated pork. I’m still thinking about those Carnitas Tostadas that I made last month (my family loved those so much!), and with this month’s recipe pictured here… it’s another hit out of the ball park. It’s so easy to work with their products because you get to work with pork that already has a base of great flavor because it’s pre-marinated....

It doesn’t get any easier than this! This dip is so tantalizingly creamy and sweet nobody will be able to resist. For a real show-stopping treat, serve this pumpkin recipe a cute sugar pumpkin. Present it to your guest and it will be all anyone is talking about for weeks. Pumpkin Fluff Dip Pumpkin fluff dip is a sweet and creamy treat that’s bursting with pumpkin goodness. It’s full of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice which makes it taste just like pumpkin pie, minus the crust....

Packed with savory beef crumbles and ooey-gooey cheese, this dip is a gift from above. Obviously, it’s perfect with tortilla chips, crackers, and toasted bread. But honestly, I don’t mind devouring it on its own. If you want to serve your party guests nothing but the best party appetizers, this Rotel dip should definitely be one of them. What is Rotel Dip? It’s a heavenly combination of ground beef and cheese in a spicy sauce made of Rotel....

Pour a few tablespoons of sauerkraut juice into your dishes to boost healthy gut flora, vitamins, and nutrients. Sauerkraut juice can be served on its own, in a salad dressing, as a sour seasoning, or within a dip. The juice is prepared through natural fermentation at room temperature and ready in approximately 5 days, once the juice smells sour. Learn how to make sauerkraut juice by following these steps:...