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Preparation Although gift giving is a big part of the holiday season, it can be stressful if you’re not sure what the special people in your life have on their wish list. If you’re someone that never seems to pick out the perfect present, you’re in luck. A new survey commissioned by BJ’s WholeSale Club and conducted by OnePoll reveals that most Americans prefer receiving gifts that play it safe. Of the survey respondents, 58 percent believe that chocolate is the most universally enjoyed gift, followed by holiday gift baskets (50 percent), and gift cards (49 percent)....

If we’re housebound, let’s make sure that life is extra delicious!! {Also – Meal Plan #2 now available!) Coronavirus Quarantine Menu Plan 2 weeks ago, you might’ve turned your nose up at the thought of stocking up on food in anticipation of being housebound due to Coronavirus. Today, I’d consider it the wise thing to do. I don’t want to be overly dramatic or an alarmist, but these are uncertain times....

Preparation Have you ever wondered how to turn your dreams of owning your own business into a reality? We can help. Each week, as part of our Self Made series, we showcase female entrepreneurs-as well as their quality, handmade goods-and share their best advice related to starting, maintaining, and growing your own business. In one of America’s most storied wine regions, Erin Wilkins honors her Asian heritage with a profound love for healing others....

4 cups water 1 blooming tea ball sugar, or sweetener, optional Remove the tea bloom from its sealed packaging and place the tea ball in an empty glass mug or glass teapot. Heat fresh filtered water to 180 degrees F. Place the tea flower pod in the bottom of the teapot or mug and pour hot water 3 to 4 inches above it to allow the flower to fully bloom....

Monday Meatball Mania is here! The rules are simple and the logic powerful: my friend Jo from Jo Cooks and I both agree that meatballs are the King of all Ball Shaped Foods. There cannot be too many meatballs in this world. So at the beginning of this year, we embarked upon a mission to make this world a better place by contributing even more meatballs. So on the last Monday of every month, we each publish a meatball recipe....

Preparation With many areas experiencing reduced housing inventory and record low interest rates, the current real estate market is more competitive than ever for buyers. “Today’s buyer must be completely prepared with a pre-approval letter, proof of funds to close, and be armed with up to date information on values and trends in the market they are interested in,” says real estate agent Christine Baker of Willis Allen Real Estate. “It is extremely competitive in today’s market for even extremely well-qualified buyers....

Preparation If you’re curious about how natural cleaning products work or why baking soda is such a powerful ingredient, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll explain the science behind some of the most popular cleaning methods and tools, so you can you clean smarter—not harder. Follow along with Clean Science to see which technique we break down next. There are many types of water filters on the market—and though they may work in different ways, for the most part, they all do the same thing: properly filter your water....

Preparation You return to your bedroom at the end of a long day, after the work is done. This calm place becomes that much more tranquil if you fill it with earth-friendly pieces and textiles—you can rest easy know that you kept your footprint low when curating the room. Take the above oasis, created by Los Angeles interior designer Allison Ochmanek Boesch, for example. She used Benjamin Moore’s no-VOC, allergy-and-asthma-friendly Natura paint in Moonlight White in this Pacific Palisades, California, home; the bed is made up with OEKO-Tex Standard 100 certified linen from Parachute....

Preparation When autumn arrives each year, the leaves start changing colors, pumpkins are finally ready to harvest, and the air turns comfortably cool. These harbingers of fall also encourage people across the country to start swapping out their seasonal décor. Whether you want to decorate indoors or out, corn stalks are a great starting point. But if you plan to use them, it’s important to first dry your corn stalks so that they’ll last throughout the season....

Preparation The first thing you should do about a wet lawn is rule out a few possible causes. Common reasons for soggy grass and muddy divots include everything from concentrated gutter downspout outflow to a poorly managed irrigation system. Once you’ve figured out why your yard seems to hold water, you can begin to address the issue. Typically, a homeowner’s lot receives grading before seeding or sod placement, says George Bernardon, the vice president of Grounds Management for SSC Services for Education....

Preparation Finding a financial advisor can be an intimidating process—especially if you’ve never done it before. “This is the person you are hiring to help you achieve your most significant life goals,” says Lauren Anastasio, a certified financial planner at SoFi. Talk about some serious pressure. But armed with these four tips, you can feel confident that you will find the best financial advisor for you. Ethics are important when it comes to trusting someone with your money, but unfortunately, not all financial advisors are bound by an ethical code that puts their clients first....

Preparation Social media may not seem like a habit that has much of an impact on your relationship, but the way you and your partner agree—or disagree—to use it can go a long way toward the health and longevity of your marriage. From spending phone-free time together to purging your friend list, these social media rules from Laura Heck, LMFT, a Salt Lake City marriage and family therapist, can give you a solid place to start....

Preparation Step away from the stove! When the weather is too warm to cook, use your Instant Pot to make dinner. The handy multicooker is perfect for preparing food without heating up your kitchen. What’s more, Instant Pot recipes tend to be quick and (almost) effortless, making it easier to save time and enjoy all that summer has to offer. For our favorite Instant Pot summer dinner recipes, we chose dishes that complement seasonal flavors....

With layers of seasoned ground beef, creamy bechamel sauce, cheese, and tender lasagna noodles, my Instant Pot Lasagna Recipe makes a delicious and easy meal any day of the week. Using simple ingredients and your pressure cooker, you can make this easy meat lasagna recipe in under an hour! 📋 Recipe Best Instant Pot Lasagna Recipe You could say ground beef recipes are our specialty! We love cooking with ground beef....

Preparation If you’re thinking about hosting a destination wedding, you might be wondering just how much you should be doing for your guests. Should you help cover travel costs? Troubleshoot flight complications? Entertain them for the entire weekend? These queries are common, but remember this: Your guests are adults who understand the basics of travel and are willing to make the trip to your wedding. You are not responsible for every minute your guests are in your wedding destination, nor are you obligated to pay for (or plan) your guests’ travel....

When I make soup in my house, we love to have dunkers. Dunkers are great pieces of bread that can soak up the broth, fill you up and complete the meal. These Parmesan Baguette Croutes are the perfect dunkers! How to Make Parmesan Baguette Croutes: This is basically a very simple garlic bread recipe. Grab a baguette at the store. I prefer sourdough. Slice it up into about 30 pieces....

1 lb white fish, cod or halibut ½ cup sugar ¼ cup salt 6 oz butter, melted 12 cups water paprika, for garnish, optional pepper, for garnish, optional Cut the white fish fillets widthwise into 2-inch widths. Bring the water to a boil. Add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Using tongs lower fish pieces into the boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes or until the fish is just beginning to flake....

Whether you like going to the pub for the drinks or the ambiance, or because you think it’s a great hangout spot with friends, one thing’s for sure: a visit isn’t complete without ordering pub food. But don’t feel like you need to get out of the house just to have a bite of your favorite pub grub! Whether you’re in the mood for finger foods like fries and mozzarella sticks or something heavier like a burger or a sandwich, this roundup has you covered....

3 cups sweet potatoes 1 tbsp butter ½ cup cream ½ cup brown sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp salt 1 cup marshmallows ½ cup pecans, chopped Bake potatoes with skin on, peel and mash. Add butter, cream, brown sugar, egg and salt; mix well. Add nuts and put in greased 1 quart baking dish and top with marshmallows. Bake 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown on the top....

Preparation Tired of tending to the same-old annuals and perennials that come to life in your garden each year? While even the most tried-and-true varieties are lovely, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to try something new. Branch out by adding rare, heirloom seeds to your garden and turning out fruits, flowers, and vegetables that could be on the edge of extinction (the environment will thank you!). Here, where to source rare seeds, tubers, and plants, which will increase the biodiversity of your backyard....