Food/Entertaining
Articles and information on Food/Entertaining
A Look at America's Laundry Divide: For Harmony at Home, Just Split it and Make Up!
There's something special about making a Halloween costume for your child. Sure, you could head to the nearest big box retailer and pick up the latest superhero or cartoon character outfit, but why not get creative this year and come up with a costume that won't get lost in a sea of look-alikes?
A New Book of Asian-Inspired Cooking
Americans are flocking to Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai restaurants in record numbers, and more of them are preparing Asian dishes at home. With the right cookbook, even the novice chef can prepare great-tasting Asian meals.
A Place for Family, a Place for Self
Today's families are a whirlwind of activity, running to school and work, to and from meetings, events and get-togethers. Research has shown that because today's families are so busy, home has become a retreat, a place to escape and relax.
Add a Touch of Global Glamour to Your Home
Are certain rooms in your house feeling a bit dated, or perhaps just a little dull? Sometimes all it takes is one new piece of furniture with a lot of personality, or a few well-chosen accessories to bring a room back to life.
America's Most Wanted -- China Patterns
Arlene Dubuc recently fulfilled a decades-old quest. The Fillmore, Calif. resident has been searching for replacements for a few pieces of her china set that were broken during shipping more than five decades ago.
Avoid Slang Slipping Into Students' Schoolwork
Plz practice your writing B4 U head bak 2 school. C U in a few wkz. Millions of children (and adults!) use language like this to chat with friends, make weekend plans and stay in touch with out-of-town relatives via e-mail and Instant Messaging (IM).
Back to School Basics
Getting the family ready to head back to school requires a crash course for parents in Organization 101. Between stocking up on school supplies, fall clothes, sports gear and planning a family's worth of after-school activities, being prepared is the key to transitioning from the lazy days of summer to the September rush.
Bedrooms for All Kinds of Living
The way we use our bedrooms has evolved over the years. Just as kitchens are now much more than rooms where food is prepared, bedrooms have transformed from simple places that house a mattress into retreats where residents relax, unwind, entertain and work.
Brides Forego Fine China, Say 'I Do' to Casual Luxury
Brides building their bridal registries today are thinking twice about china cabinet classics, turning instead to home items in which the luxury is a bit more casual.
Can Online Resources Prepare Kids for the Next Grade?
As children gear up to go back to school this fall, parents face a daunting question: "How much does my child remember from last school year?" The answer is often startling.
Central Vacuums -- Home Improvement's Secret Solution (Even Men Like Them)
It's a secret many contractors and remodelers already know, and one most homeowners only learn about as they begin to make home improvement decisions. But what makes the secret remarkable?
Cheap Chic
Looking to change the style of your home while sticking to a budget? Get ready to roll up your sleeves. Here are some inexpensive, practical ideas that will save you time and money in your quest to add some personal style to your home.
Choosing and Using Electronic Hand Tools
Have you ever drilled multiple holes in a wall trying to locate a stud? Have you ever hung up several pictures, taken a step back and realized that none of them lined up and were straight? If so, you might want to invest in some electronic hand tools.
Clogged Drain? You Can Fix it Yourself Without Harmful Chemicals
Why is it that drains get clogged only at the most inopportune time? Typically, you are hosting a party. Everything is running smoothly and then the remnants of hors d'oeuvres back up in your sink.
Decorating Your Walls: A 'Primer' on Paint Types
You've picked out a color, purchased brushes and rollers and are ready to decorate several rooms in the house with a fresh coat of paint.
Do Smart Toys Really Make Kids Smarter?
Remember those very first technology toys designed to take kids' play to the next level? Products like Simon challenged kids to flex their memory muscles with a game of electronic "Simon Says."
Easy Home Decorating Ideas for Fall
An amazing ritual is once again underway. The days are getting shorter; leaves are turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red; and flocks of birds are making their way south. Inspired by the changes brought on by Mother Nature, people across the country are initiating changes of their own, giving their home décor a new lease on life.
Eating Right -- It's All About Balance
In recent years, a lot of people have jumped on the low-carb bandwagon, hoping to lose a lot of weight, fast. Some are succeeding, others are not. Why are so many people failing?
Everything In Its Place
Stuff. You've got a lot of it. It's now fall, again, and you've been meaning to get organized since your last new-year's resolution.
Everything Old World is New Again
We may live in a new age, but we still clamor for old world styling in our homes. Today's interior design trends reflect our desire for looks that say "handcrafted" yet perform "high tech."
Family Traditions: For Your Wedding and for Your New Life Together
Family traditions define who we are and where we came from. From the simple Friday night pizza party in the living room to the elaborate family wedding, family traditions are the bedrock of society -- bringing order and predictability into our lives and emotionally nourishing us by building bonds with family both near and far.
Fuel your Kids for School with the Best Tasting Breakfast Staples
As the new school year starts, breakfast becomes more important than ever for kids heading back to the classrooms. Starting the day with breakfast is a smart lesson for everyone.
Get the Movie Theater Experience Without Leaving the Comfort of Home
The lights go down. A glow appears on the screen, followed by the crashing of thunder and the appearance of a movie logo, and then the feature begins.
Give Trick-or-Treaters a Memorable Treat
When the ghosts and goblins come knocking on your door on October 31st, give them a treat that will make them "glow" with excitement. This Halloween, for the first time ever, fun-size packages of some of your favorite candy bars...
Halloween Scares Up an Interest in Sewing
It's that most wonderful time of the year. Doorways are decked out with banners and bows, twinkling lights edge the rooftops and all through the house everything from baby bibs and bath towels to tablecloths and throw pillows sports a holiday motif. No, it's not Christmas -- yet.
Healthy Alternatives to Halloween Candy
When the ghosts and goblins, superheroes and villains come knocking on your door this Halloween, do them a favor. Instead of dropping a candy bar or two into their trick-or-treat bag, fill it up with healthy alternatives.
Help Your Kids Learn How to Resolve Conflict Peacefully
Naomi Drew, peacemaking expert and author of the new book "The Kids' Guide to Working Out Conflicts," was drawn to her subject through first-hand experience.
Helping Kids Succeed
The organized child -- while seemingly an oxymoron, it doesn't have to be. And what better time to get things off on the right foot than the beginning of a new school year? The earlier you start good organizational habits with children, the more successful they will be in learning and in life.
Home Fashions Inspired by the 19th Century Arts and Crafts Movement
Originating in England in the late 19th century, and later spreading to the United States with a fury, the Arts and Crafts movement is one of true artistry when artisans embarked on an effort to prevent the mass production of original works.
How to Create Digital Bliss
The sea of information and entertainment in our homes can be overwhelming. With digital cameras, digital music players such as the iPod and Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) such as TiVo, homeowners are downloading, storing and consuming media like never before. But all those files and gadgets can lead to digital madness.
How to Find a Good Rehabilitation Facility
Another function for nursing homes. More and more these days, they are serving as temporary rehabilitation facilities.
Illiteracy: A Hidden Problem
Back to school season? Chances are you're down at the mall bargaining with your teenager over what not to wear -- and more importantly what not to spend.
Improve Your Home with Great 'Universal Design'
Great design is like great art -- you know it when you see it. However, an essential element of great design is that the form fits the function. In other words, even if it's beautiful, an object isn't well designed unless it accomplishes its intended purpose, and does it well.
Mom's Number One School Tool
It's school time and this year you promise yourself you're going to do everything right. You're going to shop smart -- watch for back-to-school sales and shop early. You'll steer your child right past the aisle of candy-colored calculators.
Moving Checklist - A Simple Plan for an Easy Move
A move generally takes 8 to 10 weeks in all, and with so many details to keep in mind -- packing, cleaning, setting up utilities -- it can be an overwhelming experience. But thorough planning is the key to an easy move.
Not Everybody Loves Raymond's Kitchen
American families are alarmingly at home in TV star Ray Romano's chaotic on-screen kitchen. In a recent homeowner poll, one in four families say the famous TV kitchen, with its cluttered, outdated look, is all too familiar -- and that they need help.
Parents Developing Roles in Their Child's College Education
This fall millions of parents will take their child to college for the first time. They will load the car, drive to campus, unload the car, kiss their child goodbye and leave.
Personal Touches Make a House a Home
Personalization is all the rage in fashion these days. From monogrammed purses to flashy jewelry proclaiming your initials, the fashion forward crowd is all about owning this trend. You can carry this individualism in your home decorating as well.
Pet Health Tips
Families are outdoors a lot during this season and since 92 percent of pet owners consider their pet part of the family, Fido and Fifi often join in the festivities.
Picture Perfect Holiday Gifts for the People You Love
The stores are packed every year around this time with people looking for the perfect gift for that special someone in their life. But how much of an impression is that serving platter, sweater or bottle of wine going to make?
Plan Your Attack on Gaps and Cracks
All the tiny leaks in a typical home -- outlets, door and window frames, exhaust fans, chimney dampers, pipe entrances, air ducts, and dryer vents -- can add up to a wide-open window.
Ready Your Closet for Fall Clothes
When it's time to ready summer closets for bulkier warm weather clothing, indulge yourself in a little spring cleaning this fall to make your closets more hospitable for your cashmere, wool and angora fall pieces.
Schools Turn to the Internet for Fundraising Success
We're getting close to fall fundraising season. Indeed, in no time, the opportunities to help out a school by buying or selling such items as chocolates, cookie dough, coupon books or calendars will be upon us.
Shared Living Offers Mature Women Options and Opportunities
Who would have thought that the retirement antics of TV's "Golden Girls" would predict an upcoming demographic trend? It seems Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and her feisty mom Sophia had the right idea.
The Right Custom Frame Lets You Display Your Art Beautifully and Safely
Do you have a favorite photo that you've been meaning to have framed for a long time? Or perhaps you have some treasured mementos such as a collection of your father's pipes that you'd like to display.
The Three "C's" Of Today's Upscale Home Decorating
Ask interior designers and industry experts across the country what the "hot" trends are in upscale home decorating, and you'd assume their responses would be as varied as the specialties they represent.
Throw a Dinner Party People Will Remember
Most of us are invited to our fair share of dinner parties. Some will be forgotten the next day; others will make a lasting impression.
Time to Get Ready for the Hunting Season
Hunting season is here and a lot of outdoor sport enthusiasts are starting to think about what they need to prepare. They are gathering their weapon of choice, which may be a shotgun, rifle, or even an ice auger for the over anxious ice fisherman.
Volunteering: Making a Difference for a Stranger Can Help Your Family
Family game night. Eating dinner together. A trip to the lake. These are all things that today's Americans do to bring their family members closer together. But one of the most beneficial activities that can be done by a family -- volunteering -- is all too often overlooked.
Waking Up to a Cold Breeze From That Open Window?
The summer flowers are turning brown. The kids are moping around the house. Weekend plans are becoming centered around soccer games instead of the beach or pool. You're feeling just a little depressed. Yup, fall is around the corner -- and when fall arrives, it's time to think about getting ready for winter.
