It’s sad to throw away Christmas cards. There’s a bit of guilt when you don’t keep some of them. Hoarding them in a box for years seems as wasteful as tossing them out. You can save some as keepsakes or reuse a few. How have you reused cards? Here are a few ideas. GIFT TAGS: [...]
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for chocolate, and it’s never too early to plan for the sweet stuff. These recipes are all quick and easy to prepare. The first two make a single serving, so they’ll work well whether you celebrate with someone else or alone. Simply double the recipe for two. One of [...]
Chocolate is the perfect way to end a romantic dinner on a sweet note. Instead of buying dessert for Valentine’s Day, bake it yourself. Here are three decadent chocolate recipes that are better than a box of chocolates and are sure to warm hearts. They’re impressive enough for a special occasion but simple and delicious [...]
Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? Don’t wait until the last minute. Desperation leads to cliche gifts gone wrong, like a half-dead rose or driving all over town trying to find a table at a restaurant. If you goofed on Christmas, you’ve got a golden opportunity to make up for it. Don’t blow it! The [...]
Valentine’s Day can be the most frustrating holiday. I see the tension rise as couples scramble to find the perfect romantic gift idea that isn’t a cliche or cheap and tacky. Most can’t afford luxury gifts, so the pressure is on to express their love within their means. It seems ridiculous. I feel sorry for [...]
Do You Fondue? This dipping pot of bubbling goodness is back in style. It’s essential to learn about fondue cooking, so you can cook safely and easily, without any disasters or disappointments. Fondue cooking can be fun and easy by cooking simple recipes. If you have a fondue pot hidden away, dig it out and [...]
Valentine’s Day is often synonymous with lush velvety looking red roses and spending big bucks on your sweetie. You’re blinded by advertisements touting the latest luxury jewelry, over-priced flowers, and exquisite five star dining. You can sometimes feel pressure from this single day that is supposed to symbolize and convey your emotion of love to [...]
photo by Thomas Pix Are you prepared for the holiday season? Yes, I’m going there. What’s the matter? Too early for you to think about the holidays? If you’re always kicking yourself for waiting until the last minute, this nudge is for you. This year, it’s going to different. You have plenty of time to [...]
photo used by permission from Jen at BeantownBaker.com Don’t toss overripe bananas away. They’re great in smoothies, pancakes, mixed into oatmeal or combined with yogurt and frozen for a refreshing treat. What is your favorite way to use them up? Here are four easy desserts. Banana Bars 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 2 cups [...]
When entertaining overnight houseguests, you want them to enjoy themselves, be comfortable and relaxed, and especially feel welcome. You might think you’ve got it all covered. Perhaps, you’ve anticipated their needs, such as remembering their food preferences and/or dietary restrictions, setting out scented soaps, crisp, clean linens and fresh flowers. What about making an extra [...]
photo by geishaboy500 DEAR SARA: I hope you can help me with this. I recently found some old photographs in the attic in old frames. I would like to change the frames because they are old and worn out. The pictures are great ones, and I want to remount them into new frames. The problem [...]
Think you don’t have time for breakfast? The first reader tip shares a quick and easy breakfast tip. It’s a great way to use some small amounts of leftovers and can be made using Egg Beaters, too. There are many possible mix-n-match combinations. SCRAMBLED EGGS IN A MUG: Use a big microwave-proof mug. Grease the [...]
