In most cases, this probably isn’t a big source of concern, but if someone in your household has recently been sick or you’ve prepared raw meat on certain plates, you’ll want to ensure that your dishware is truly sanitized. How do you guarantee your dishes are germ-free? Simply follow the guidelines below to make sure your dishes don’t just look clean, but actually are clean. Choose the Dishwashing Machine Over Hand-Washing The dishwasher versus hand-washing debate may never be officially resolved, but when it comes to removing bacteria, there’s a surefire winner: the dishwasher....

Is there anything better than a mountain of mashed potatoes topped with hot gravy dripping down the sides? It’s definitely my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner (and this amazing stuffing) and really any dinner that mashed potatoes are a part of. I grew up in a family where instant mashed potatoes were a thing – now they’re a thing of the past. After trying real russet mashed potatoes, you’ll never go back to pouring something out of a box, no matter how simple it is....

One of the staples that I always have in my fridge at home is store bought chocolate chip cookie dough. I know making chocolate chip cookies is easy but popping cookie dough onto a cookie sheet is even easier. And when you have kids wanting cookies (or heck, maybe you just want some), putting dough scoops in the oven to bake in minutes is a great parenting hack. But sometimes I want something a little more than just a classic chocolate chip cookie....

I’ve said it before but pumpkin isn’t my favorite flavor but today I’m taking that back. It’s still not my favorite flavor, but I’m beginning to like it a whole lot more. Why you ask? Because I’ve found recipes that combine pumpkin with other flavors so the pumpkin isn’t super overpowering. You get the nice pumpkin flavor but like a subtle version of it. Kind of like with this pumpkin crunch cake....

This post is sponsored by Perdue Farms and includes affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! Okay let’s get one thing straight – I love chicken, but I hate cutting it. When I went to visit Perdue Farms headquarters last year, they taught us how to cut a whole chicken, and I did it, but I didn’t like it....

Whether I’m watching TV, playing video games, or typing away for work, I spend a lot of time looking at screens. In the past, regardless of how I organized my room, the sun created pesky glares across my screens. That is, until my mother kindly (or perhaps out of weariness from hearing me complain about the sun on a daily basis), ordered the Eclipse Dayton curtains from Walmart as a gift for me a few years ago....

Maintaining a complete, fresh, and steady supply of dried herbs and spices is kind of like going to the dentist—it’s easy enough to put it off until you’re told you have a mouth full of cavities. While we won’t argue that an allspice-less pumpkin pie can quite compete with the pain involved in a potential root canal, there is no shortage of stress when it comes to missing ingredients. Luckily, we can offer several smart baking substitutions....

Factors like where and how seafood is raised or caught can have an extensive impact on its quality, health benefits, and marine habitat. Here are a few tips for choosing the best seafood option that benefits your health and promotes sustainability. What Is Wild-Caught Seafood? Wild-caught seafood refers to various fishing methods that involve a wide range of gear to catch wildlife. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, each set of tools and fishing method affects the ocean and marine life differently....

Lately I’ve been on a kick with the popsicle stick crafts, especially the Halloween popsicle stick crafts. Maybe just Halloween crafts in general! I’ve already shared a tombstone craft and a Halloween bat craft both made with craft sticks! And today I’m back with another one – the cutest Frankenstein craft ever! It’s super simple to make, inexpensive, and great for kids to make on their own (with just a teeny tiny bit of adult supervision)....

Challenge #1: Design an Oblong, Open-Space Living Room When you do your connecting, relaxing, and dining in one area, the space needs to really perform. Designer Max Humphrey shows how to pull it off—this is his collaboration with editor Leslie Corona. Goal Max aims to “turn this blank white box into a space with some architectural detail—without breaking the bank” and to make it livable all day long, 365 days a year....

While both half-and-half and heavy cream work well in beverages like coffee, tea, or smoothies, and as a creamy add-in for some recipes, they won’t always work as a substitute for one another. Below, we break down the unique qualities of heavy cream vs. half-and-half, and how to cook with each. We also unpack exactly what fat-free half-and-half is and the differences between half-and-half and light cream. Heavy cream, on the other hand, is a thicker and richer cream that contains at least 36 percent milkfat, nearly double that of half-and-half....

The blended oil features just six ingredients (vitamin E, jojoba oil, avocado oil, rice bran oil, lavender, and palmarosa) that correct a multitude of concerns, including fine lines and wrinkles, congested pores, uneven texture, dark circles, and a sagging “turkey neck.” While vitamin E is known for its benefits on the face, it can also be applied to dry, cracked lips, stretch marks, and stubborn body scars. Reviewers have found this blend is versatile enough to heal peeling sunburns and painful acne, too....