Having a New Year’s party? Put your child’s inexplicable Silly Bandz obsession to good use! These rubber bands in fun shapes are perfect for putting around the stems of champagne glasses so your guests can tell whose are whose.
Tip of the Day: Why to Buy Candy Canes Now
Now that Christmas is over, snag a bag of tiny candy canes that are on sale and use them for these heart-shaped cupcake toppers. Flip one cane over and place them together (“hooks” and bottom edges touching). Bake on a non-stick baking sheet at 325ยบ for 3–5 minutes. Pinch together to sear, then cook and remove with a spatula. It'll be a hit come Valentine's Day!
Recipe of the Week: Raspberry Holiday Punch
If you're having a New Year's Eve get-together and want to include non-alcoholic drink options, Bigelow Tea has a surprising wealth of resources for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that incorporate tea. Who knew? Here's their recipe for a festive, fruity, punch that would also be a great refreshment for a baby shower, wedding shower, or other daytime affair.
Ingredients:
2 cups cranberry juice or cran-raspberry juice
juice of 1/2 lime
2 cups ginger ale or lemon lime soda
raspberry or lime sherbert
4 tea bags of raspberry herbal tea
How to Make It:
1. Bring 1 quart plus 1/4 cup of water to a boil. Add to 4 tea bags in a tea pot or a Pyrex measuring cup. Let steep for at least five minutes. Remove tea bags and chill the tea in the refrigerator.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a punch bowl, adding the sherbert right before the guests arrive. Enjoy!
Do you have a drink recipe to share? Let us know!
Ingredients:
2 cups cranberry juice or cran-raspberry juice
juice of 1/2 lime
2 cups ginger ale or lemon lime soda
raspberry or lime sherbert
4 tea bags of raspberry herbal tea
How to Make It:
1. Bring 1 quart plus 1/4 cup of water to a boil. Add to 4 tea bags in a tea pot or a Pyrex measuring cup. Let steep for at least five minutes. Remove tea bags and chill the tea in the refrigerator.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a punch bowl, adding the sherbert right before the guests arrive. Enjoy!
Do you have a drink recipe to share? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: When Mats Matter
If your car gets stuck in an icy patch and your wheels aren’t getting any traction, help free it by using your car’s floor mats. Take them out and place under the tires, then drive to a safe place, retrieve the mats, and be on your way.
Tip of the Day: Easy Tree Disposal
Now that Christmas has come and gone, it’s time to think about taking down the tree! When you’re storing Christmas tree lights, wind each strand around a piece of cardboard cut to fit in a plastic bin, and they’ll stay perfectly untangled. Think of the time you’ll save next year!
Tip of the Day: Save on Holiday Cards
The best time of year to buy holiday greeting cards is after Christmas, since stores will have them marked at clearance prices to get them off the shelves.
Tip of the Day: Quick Eyeglasses Fix
Screw fall out of your eyeglasses? A stud earring is the perfect just-for-now replacement that will keep you from having to tape your glasses together for the trip to the optometrist. Just poke it through the hole and fasten its back.
Tip of the Day: Good Gravy
Did your clumsy uncle spill gravy all over your best holiday tablecloth? Not to worry! Just blot up what you can with a paper towel, then sprinkle artificial sweetener or flour over what remains on the tablecloth. After dinner, soak the tablecloth in the washer with your regular detergent for half an hour, then wash as usual.
Tip of the Day: Let Your Light Shine
Make your holiday lights even more festive by poking each bulb through a cupcake liner. The foil kind will make them even sparklier, while the paper kind will give off a soft light.
Tip of the Day: Good as Gold
Here’s the recipe that my mother always used to wash her gold jewelry: Mix 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid with ½ teaspoon ammonia and 1 cup warm water. Dip the jewelry into the solution for 10 seconds, and use an old toothbrush to brush off any marks. Your gold will look sparkling new!
Tip of the Day: Keep Your Suitcase Clean
When you get plastic shower caps at hotels, save them for your suitcase. They make the perfect covers for dirty shoes!
Recipe of the Week: Rib Roast with Two Sauces
You've agreed to host the entire family for the holidays, but you don't want to prepare the same old ham or turkey dish you made last year. Luckily, Kraft saves the day with this fantastic rib roast recipe.
Ingredients:
1 beef rib eye roast (5 pounds), 2 or 3 ribs
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, cracked
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup horseradish
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 sweet onion, very thinly sliced
1 package (8 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
How to Make It:
1. Place meat, fat-side up, in roasting pan. Press peppercorns and 2 teaspoons thyme onto surface of meat. Bake 2 to 2-1/4 hours or until 135°F. (To check for doneness, insert probe of instant-read thermometer 2 to 2-1/2 inches into thickest part of meat.) Meanwhile, mix sour cream, horseradish and sugar in serving bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Remove meat from oven. Cover meat with foil; let stand 15 to 20 minutes or until medium-rare doneness (145°F).
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 6 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 1 minutes. Stir in broth; simmer 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in mustard and remaining thyme.
4. Slice meat. Serve with sauces.
Serves 15.
Do you have a recipe to share? Let us know!
Ingredients:
1 beef rib eye roast (5 pounds), 2 or 3 ribs
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, cracked
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup horseradish
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 sweet onion, very thinly sliced
1 package (8 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
How to Make It:
1. Place meat, fat-side up, in roasting pan. Press peppercorns and 2 teaspoons thyme onto surface of meat. Bake 2 to 2-1/4 hours or until 135°F. (To check for doneness, insert probe of instant-read thermometer 2 to 2-1/2 inches into thickest part of meat.) Meanwhile, mix sour cream, horseradish and sugar in serving bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Remove meat from oven. Cover meat with foil; let stand 15 to 20 minutes or until medium-rare doneness (145°F).
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 6 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 1 minutes. Stir in broth; simmer 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in mustard and remaining thyme.
4. Slice meat. Serve with sauces.
Serves 15.
Do you have a recipe to share? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: This Takes the Cake
If you’re throwing your child a birthday party, opt for cupcakes rather than a large cake. That way, you’ll save on forks, plates and cleanup! (Just serve on napkins.)
Tip of the Day: Drip-Free Candles
Celebrating Chanukah tonight? Keep your candles drip-free by storing them in the freezer. The cooler temperature will harden the wax and make them drip much less.
Tip of the Day: Park Place
Traveling for the upcoming holiday? Find out where the cheapest place to park is at your nearby airport by visiting BestParking.com. Find out about lots close to the airport that aren’t run by the airport itself—and are often half the price.
Tip of the Day: Hang It Up to Dry
Make your clothes last longer by taking your cotton and denim clothing out of the dryer 20 minutes before the cycle is about to end and letting them air dry the rest of the way. Excess dryer heat can break down the fibers in your clothes prematurely.
Inexpensive Last-Minute Gift Ideas
Sometimes it seems that no matter how far in advance you start your holiday shopping, there’s always a couple people on your list you still haven’t bought gifts for just a day or two before the holidays. Or maybe you’re the type of person who has waited till the last minute to buy gifts for everyone on your list. No judgment here? Visit our new website for our five favorite last-minute gift ideas.
Tip of the Day: It's a Wrap
Is today the day to begin wrapping the presents? Make sure you save those little bits of unusable wrapping paper when doing so. When you’ve collected a good amount of scraps, run them through a paper shredder for a colorful, inexpensive alternative to bubble wrap or packing peanuts.
Tip of the Day: Make Shampoo Go Further
Here’s a quick and easy way to halve the amount you spend on your shampoo: Just use half the shampoo! Fill a bottle with half water and half shampoo and you’ll have plenty of suds to get the job done at half the cost.
Recipe of the Week: Homemade Eggnog
'Tis the season for eggnog, but you don't have to buy the pre-made kind to enjoy this holiday treat. Heidi of Frantically Simple shows us how to make it at home.
Ingredients:
6 eggs (farm fresh if you can get them)
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
How to Make It:
1. Place eggs, milk, cream and sugar in blender. Blend on high until slightly thickened and frothy.
2. Add vanilla and nutmeg; blend well.
3. Chill until serving.
Note from Heidi:
"Consuming raw eggs does carry a risk of salmonella. Eggs fresh from a reputable farm may decrease this risk. (They also may be richer and tastier.)"
Do you have a holiday recipe to share? Let us know!
Ingredients:
6 eggs (farm fresh if you can get them)
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
How to Make It:
1. Place eggs, milk, cream and sugar in blender. Blend on high until slightly thickened and frothy.
2. Add vanilla and nutmeg; blend well.
3. Chill until serving.
Note from Heidi:
"Consuming raw eggs does carry a risk of salmonella. Eggs fresh from a reputable farm may decrease this risk. (They also may be richer and tastier.)"
Do you have a holiday recipe to share? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: Be an Ace of Spades
Before going out to shovel snow, coat the blade of your snow shovel with cooking spray. That way the snow and ice will slide right off the shovel instead of sticking to it. This works on both plastic and metal shovels!
Tip of the Day: How 'Bout Them Apples?
If you ever get one of those plastic containers apples sometimes come in, make sure to save it for your Christmastime storage. They’re the perfect holders for holiday ornaments, especially the classic glass orbs.
Tip of the Day: Draft Dodgers
Do your kids have lots of stuffed animals? This winter, put those they play with less often to good use: Line them up in front of their bedroom windows to prevent drafts from coming in underneath.
Tip of the Day: Price Watch
When you’re at the supermarket, make sure you keep a close watch while your items are being rung up. A recent study found that 10 percent of items are scanned in at the incorrect price.
Tip of the Day: Wrapping Paper Idea
Use pages from the past year’s calendar (photo-side up, obviously) to wrap smaller gifts. Two taped together are great for books or DVD sets at Christmastime.
Tip of the Day: Make Christmas Last Longer
Count down the days till Christmas with this fun family activity: Pull together all your holiday-themed books and wrap them as individual gifts. Let your children open one gift per night, and read the book together; save “The Night Before Christmas” for the 24th. The pre-holiday festivities might keep your kids satiated enough to lay off the presents under the tree until Christmas!
Tip of the Day: Playing Chopsticks
The next time you get chopsticks with your Chinese take-out, keep a few for your kitchen. Even if you haven’t mastered the art of eating with them, they’re perfect for leveling off cups of flour and other dry goods.
Recipe of the Week: Baked Salmon Teriyaki
We're always looking for new ways to jazz up old dishes. This salmon teriyaki recipe from blogger Tammy proves that salmon can be just as versatile as chicken, and it's incredibly easy to make. Check out Tammy's Recipes for other great meals to prepare for your family.
Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/4 pounds fresh or frozen salmon fillets
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon brown sugar
How to Make It:
1. In a gallon-size resealable bag, combine the teriyaki sauce, oil, garlic, onion, pepper, red pepper (if using), and sesame seeds. Squeeze the bag a little to mix everything together.
2. Add the salmon fillets (fresh or still frozen) in a single layer. Remove excess air from bag, seal, and make sure fillets are covered on both sides in the marinade.
3. Put salmon in the fridge to marinate for a few hours (if fresh) or for a day or two to thaw/marinate (if still frozen).
4. When you're ready to cook the salmon, remove the fillets from the bag and place them in a shallow dish in a single layer (skin side down if the salmon has skin). Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the marinade over the fillets, and sprinkle the teaspoon of brown sugar over the top.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork (145 degrees internal temperature). Don't bake too long, or salmon will be dry!
Serve hot (immediately) with rice or rice noodles, and/or stir fried vegetables.
Serves 4.
Do you have a recipe to share? Let us know!
Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/4 pounds fresh or frozen salmon fillets
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon brown sugar
How to Make It:
1. In a gallon-size resealable bag, combine the teriyaki sauce, oil, garlic, onion, pepper, red pepper (if using), and sesame seeds. Squeeze the bag a little to mix everything together.
2. Add the salmon fillets (fresh or still frozen) in a single layer. Remove excess air from bag, seal, and make sure fillets are covered on both sides in the marinade.
3. Put salmon in the fridge to marinate for a few hours (if fresh) or for a day or two to thaw/marinate (if still frozen).
4. When you're ready to cook the salmon, remove the fillets from the bag and place them in a shallow dish in a single layer (skin side down if the salmon has skin). Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the marinade over the fillets, and sprinkle the teaspoon of brown sugar over the top.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork (145 degrees internal temperature). Don't bake too long, or salmon will be dry!
Serve hot (immediately) with rice or rice noodles, and/or stir fried vegetables.
Serves 4.
Do you have a recipe to share? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: Repel Dust From Blinds
Dusting the blinds is always a pain, so after you’re done make sure you won’t have to do it for a while: Spray Static Guard (usually used for clothing) onto your blinds to repel dust!
Tip of the Day: Sweet 'n' Spicy
Overspiced your dinner? Just add a bit of sugar, honey, or maple syrup. The sweetness allows your taste buds to handle more hot spiciness, saving your meal.
Tip of the Day: Reusable Lint Roller
If you have a Velcro hair roller you no longer use, repurpose it as a lint roller! It’s perfect for rolling over sweaters and other clothes to pick up any stray pet hair or pills.
Tip of the Day: Ketchup Catch Up
Can’t get the ketchup out of a stubborn bottle? Just stick a straw inside. Now when you turn it upside-down, the airflow through the straw will make the ketchup flow right out.
Tip of the Day: Lipstick on Your Collar?
To remove a lipstick stain from fabric, cover it with petroleum jelly for five minutes, then wash as usual. The glycerin in the jelly will break down the oils in the lipstick, making it easy to wash away.
Tip of the Day: Battery Booster
There’s a blackout, and you just realized your flashlight is out of D batteries. Even if you don’t have any of these jumbo batteries around the house, there may be a solution: Place a couple of C-sized batteries inside and fill up the extra space with a ball of aluminum foil. You won’t get as bright of a light, but it will help shine the way.
Tip of the Day: Stop Zits in their Tracks
If a giant pimple sprouts up at work, here’s a way to make it less noticeable without applying a face mask at your desk: Place an ice cube on it for 30–60 seconds, then place a few eye drops onto a tissue and hold it on the spot for 3 minutes. This will cause the blood vessels below your skin to contract, making the pimple less red and easing some of the irritation.
Recipe of the Week: Pizza Fondue
One of our readers recently turned us on to Better Homes and Gardens’ treasure trove of slow-cooker recipes. They have some fantastic ideas for easy holiday hors d’oeuvres, including this fun and festive pizza fondue.
Ingredients:
4 ounces bulk Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 30 ounce jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2/3 cup chopped pepperoni or Canadian-style bacon
1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano, crushed
1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives (optional)
1/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper (optional)
Dippers such as focaccia bread or Italian bread cubes, mozzarella or provolone cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, or cooked tortellini or ravioli
How to Make It:
1. In a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until meat is brown. Drain off fat.
2. In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart crockery cooker combine spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, pepperoni or Canadian-style bacon, and basil or oregano. Stir in the meat mixture.
3. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 3 hours. If desired, stir in ripe olives and sweet pepper. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 15 minutes more. To serve, spear the dippers with fondue forks and dip into the fondue.
Makes 10 servings (about 5 1/2 cups).
Do you have an easy recipe to share? Let us know!
Ingredients:
4 ounces bulk Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 30 ounce jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2/3 cup chopped pepperoni or Canadian-style bacon
1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano, crushed
1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives (optional)
1/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper (optional)
Dippers such as focaccia bread or Italian bread cubes, mozzarella or provolone cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, or cooked tortellini or ravioli
How to Make It:
1. In a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until meat is brown. Drain off fat.
2. In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart crockery cooker combine spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, pepperoni or Canadian-style bacon, and basil or oregano. Stir in the meat mixture.
3. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 3 hours. If desired, stir in ripe olives and sweet pepper. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 15 minutes more. To serve, spear the dippers with fondue forks and dip into the fondue.
Makes 10 servings (about 5 1/2 cups).
Do you have an easy recipe to share? Let us know!
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