Look no further than your freezer for Dad's perfect gift (BPT) - Bill Cosby once said, “Fatherhood is pretending the present you love the most is soap-on-a-rope.” As children all over the country prepare to honor their dads for Father’s Day or a special birthday, it might be time to say “no” to the soap and ties and give him what he really loves – a home-cooked meal. In a 20...
The dinner diaries [Infographic] Hosting a dinner party can be stressful – if your biggest fear of entertaining is burning a dish, you’re not alone. Extinguishing an entree is the primary concern of more than half (51 percent) of all hostesses. Need some help planning the perfect dinner party? Alexia Foods , a line of gourmet all-natural frozen potatoes, breads and side dishes recently surveyed 400 party hosts to find out what key ingredients are necessary to host a successful (and delicious) gathering.
Help your pet shed unhealthy weight (BPT) - Are you killing your pet with kindness? We’re not talking about the compassion that motivates us to vaccinate our pets, or keep them warm in cold weather. Kindness that can be harmful to pets comes in the form of an overabundance of food and treats. The all-too-common result is a pet that becomes overweight or e...
Home chefs use new technology to cook with ease (BPT) - Home cooks are spending more time in their own kitchens and less time dining out, according to the January Monthly Measuring Cup Trend Report . Nearly half of surveyed consumers said they’re dining out less this year than they did in 2012 and are relying more on their cooking skills at home. Fortunately, techno...
Facts matter when your health is at stake (BPT) - Learning that you have a disease or medical condition can be overwhelming. You need to learn more about your condition. You may get advice from all directions – from well-meaning friends and family, the Internet, magazines, newspapers and television. But in the end, you want to understand your treatment options ...
Add fresh grapes for great summer dishes (BPT) - Grapes from California are in abundant supply throughout the summer, which is welcome news for those seeking a healthy, refreshing snack. They’re also a boon to the home cook: grapes provide bright color, a sweet-tart flavor and a refreshing burst of juice to warm-weather dishes. Grapes also complement, enhan...
Save money and do a world of good with reusable containers (BPT) - Even as the country moves out of the great recession, many Americans are still in a money-saving mode – looking to conserve wherever possible. Good news. There are simple ways to save money especially if you go back to the time-honored concept of BYO – “bringing your own” container of coffee, lunch or water as ...
Quick tips for getting the most out of your smartphone camera (BPT) - Today, the majority of adults have a mobile phone, and we’re using it for far more things than simply making phone calls. According to a 2012 report from The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, of the 85 percent of American adults who own a cellphone, 85 percent use their cellphones to take...
Surprising ways hot tubs heat up relationships (BPT) - On average, working adults spend less than an hour per day socializing and relaxing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s American Time Use Survey . Yet a host of research – and common sense – tells us that spending time together in a social, relaxing way is essential to building and maintaining healthy...
Cures for some of the most common plant and pest problems [Infographic] Whether it’s as slow as a slug or as quick as the demise of an iron-deficient lawn, problems continue to invade landscapes season after season. Central Garden & Pet has uncovered homeowners’ most challenging outdoor dilemmas and developed high impact solutions for troubled lawns and gardens from New England to the Pacific Northwest – and every region in between. This season, find the cure for your plant and pest problems and watch as your blooms blossom, gardens thrive and landscapes becom...
Fruits and veggies pack a potassium punch [Infographic] Potassium is an essential nutrient in the American diet. It’s also a nutrient that most people don’t get enough of – so much so that it was identified as a nutrient of concern in the USDA’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines. In fact, concern has reached international levels as the World Health Organization recently released its first ever recommendation for potassium intake citing overwhelming evidence that increasing potassium intake (along with decreasing sodium intake) can lower blood pressure and ...
DIY tricks that make bathroom renovations easy (BPT) - When it comes to home improvement, Americans have embraced doing it themselves – in a big way. Among homeowners who plan to make improvements, 64 percent say they will do it themselves, according to American Express’ Consumer Spending and Saving Report. Yet one area of home improvement continues to give even adv...
