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Seasonal

Category
Seasonal

Tips for making the best breakfast in bed this Valentine’s Day

Tips for making the best breakfast in bed this Valentine's Day

On any given weekday, breakfast might mean a simple cup of coffee and perhaps a piece of toast—still warm if you’re lucky—gobbled up as you leave a trail of breadcrumbs to the door. But Valentine’s Day is a special day meant for spending with the one you love—and the food you love—so what better place to cash in on that merriment than in bed cozied up with your better half and your favorite breakfast? Here are a few tips for making the ultimate breakfast in bed. Plan ahead You don’t want to wakeup and find you’re out of OJ, or coffee, or baking powder for your waffle batter, or anything else you had anticipated being available. Get ready for your morning a few days before by planning a menu, making sure you’ll have everything you need, then head to the store to fill in the gaps. go for the good…

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How to store Valentine’s Day candy to make it last

How to store Valentine's Day candy to make it last

We’re barely through Halloween when Christmas candy starts piling up. Then comes Valentine’s Day, and you know Easter is right around the corner. Unless you’re making a serious effort to gobble up your holiday candy, chances are that by now you have too much of it laying around. But no need to fret! Your Valentine’s Day candy—or any holiday candy—can be stored for the long haul and enjoyed later this year. Here’s how: General tips Candies have different storage requirements, but the pantry or a dry basement are usually safe bets to stash sweets for months. Freezing is a popular method for preserving food over a long period of time, but not all sweets are suited for the harsh cold of the freezer. Toffee and truffles can be frozen for up to 2 months, but avoid freezing anything with fruit or nuts. Avoid mixing types of candies in one container.…

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Seasonal

Sweethearts are back for Valentine’s Day 2020 but with a few changes

Sweethearts are back for Valentine's Day 2020 but with a few changes

Sweethearts are back on store shelves in time for Valentine’s Day. Last year, you may remember, if you wanted to tell the object of your affection to “BE MINE” or “KISS ME” you had to find another way. The iconic conversation hearts were missing from store shelves because of a change in ownership. Thankfully they’re back for Valentine’s Day 2020, but consumers might notice a few changes. Because of printing machine issues, not all hearts will receive printed messages. Some Sweethearts are being released blank. Yes—silent hearts. Additionally, Spangler the company behind Dum Dum lollipops and now Sweethearts, has decided to return to the original 118-year-old candy recipe. That means flavors like banana and wintergreen will find their way back in the box. Consumers can find Sweethearts for the 2020 season at big retailers like Walgreen’s and CVS, but should act soon. Spangler spokeswoman Diana Moore Eschhofen told CNBC that…

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Seasonal

How to avoid getting the flu beyond just washing your hands

How to avoid getting the flu beyond just washing your hands

Last flu season nearly 38 million people came down with the illness. Of those, 531,000 were hospitalized, and between 36,400 and 61,200 people died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course the usual advice is great: Get the vaccine, wash your hands often, and avoid contact with anyone who has been sick. But beyond that, is there anything else we can do? Most illness are spread by your hands, so using sanitizer and washing them regularly is extremely important, especially after coming home from a day in our germ-ridden world. So that really is the number one thing you can do. But what’s some other advice for avoiding the flu this season all together? Disinfect items you touch often. Your cell phone, tablet, and desk phone are all prime hiding spots for germs. You touch the outside world, then touch your cell, then put it to your…

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Seasonal

10 fun facts you never knew about maple syrup

10 fun facts you never knew about maple syrup_3

If you’ve ever had maple syrup—the real maple syrup—you know those corn syrup knock-offs just can’t compare. Real maple syrup has a rich, complexed flavor with a balanced level of natural sweetness. The fake stuff? Super sugary and pretty bland in comparison. With all of that fake syrup floating around, we tend to forget where the good stuff comes from. If you love real maple syrup, stick around. Here are 12 fun facts you never knew: The maple syrup capital is canada, of course. Vermont is the biggest U.S. producer of the sweet amber elixir with more than 890,000 gallons a year, but the U.S. pales in comparison to Canada’s production. More than 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup comes from Canada. Québec alone is responsible for nearly 8 million gallons a year. Native Americans were the first to discover maple syrup. Legend has it that Native Americans observed…

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Seasonal

How long to cook chicken breast

How long to cook chicken breast

Whether it’s tenders, tacos, breasts, or kabobs, everyone loves chicken. The average American eats a whopping 201 pounds of chicken every single year. Most people, especially those looking for a healthier diet, prefer chicken breast to other kinds of meat because it’s a great, lean source of protein, and it’s highly accessible. Yet, this dietary staple is surprisingly difficult to cook correctly and often times comes out dry and rubbery. So how long exactly should you cook a chicken breast? Chicken breast loses its juiciness and appetizing texture when it’s overcooked. How long you need to cook your chicken breast largely depends on the size and thickness of the breast and of course your method of cooking. Also, try this easy weeknight Chicken Parmesan recipe. how long to cook a chicken breast In the oven: Bake or roast chicken at 375ºF for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness. In…

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25 Healthy New Year’s Resolutions you can actually keep

25 Healthy New Year's Resolutions you can actually keep

A fresh new year brings good reason for a bright, positive outlook. But those New Year’s Eve sparkles in our eyes can sometimes blind us to the reality of our lofty goals. Sure, it is totally possible to set a New Year’s Resolution to “lose weight” and actually be successful, but the chances of you sticking with that—just because it’s your resolution—are pretty unlikely. (That’s a pretty big goal to reach without a game plan.) My advice? Aim smaller, and be more specific. It’s true that one healthy move promotes another. Choose one or more of these small resolutions below, and you’ll be setting yourself up to actual achieve your bigger health goals sometime not too far down the road. Here’s to new happy, healthy beginnings! healthy New Year’s resolutions 1. Drink an 8-ounce glass of water every morning and another before dinner. 2. Get outside to walk for 10…

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Seasonal

What’s the difference between jam, jelly, marmalade, and preserves?

What's the difference between jam, jelly, marmalade, and preserves_1

Is there any more simply satisfying breakfast than toast with jam? Or wait, was that jelly? Or was it preserves? Maybe marmalade? Fruit spreads are all deliciously similar, but they do have definite distinctions. Whether you smother your fresh baguette with preserves from the farmers market or smear your peanut butter and jelly sandwich with Smuckers, it’s important to know the difference because they each have their own texture and sugar content. What they have in common According to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University, jam, jelly, preserves, and marmalades are all made up of the same basic four ingredients: sweeteners (such as can or beet sugar, corn syrup, or honey); naturally occurring acid, pectin (which can be swapped or even eliminated depending on the desired outcome); and of course, fruit. So now that we know what’s in them, what makes them each different?…

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Seasonal

How to store a cake and keep it fresh

How to store a cake and keep it fresh

Nothing beats freshly baked cakes and cupcakes, but eating them all in one sitting certainly isn’t advised. So how do you go about storing leftovers, or handling those times when you have to buy a cake in advance? Here is how to keep your cake fresh as long as possible. The refrigerator is not your friend If you’re in the habit of thinking the fridge magically lengthens the life of any food, think again. Refrigerating cake actually makes it go stale faster. It has to do with how cooling forces moisture to the surface where it evaporates. Since this process happens faster in the fridge, the cake will harden and get stale prematurely. The best thing you can do, is let your cake sit at room temperature—the same goes for breads and other baked goods too. store 1 to 3 days: Cake goes on the counter If you’re planning on…

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Festive peppermint candy bowls

Festive peppermint candy bowls

Make a super cute Christmas dish using nothing but peppermint candies! It’s a fun and easy craft for kids to help with, and a unique way for adults to serve candy, ice cream, or other goodies to guests. I like serving ice cream in these bowls because the bowl really will impart a delicious minty flavor. Top with chocolate sauce, sprinkle or M&M’s for a tasty treat. Tip: Use spearmints for a fun, festive green bowl, or mix up the two! Mints melt, but not so much that the colors will run, so you can get creative with this! What’s the difference between peppermint and spearmint? Festive peppermint candy bowls What you’ll need 19 Peppermint Starlights, unwrapped (19 mints per bowl) Silicon baking mat (or parchment paper) Baking sheet A small bowl, preferably glass (about 4-5 inches across the top) Directions Preheat oven to 300ºF. Line baking sheet with…

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