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Plan an outdoor adventure (like camping in the backyard or seeing a drive-in movie), and squeeze in some extra time together by enlisting everyone in the creation of a delicious summer treat, or picking fresh fruits and vegetables. Technically, summer begins on June 21, but any sunny day is a good time to print out our summer checklist and get started on these warm weather must-dos. 1. Make Ice Pops There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a delicious frozen treat....

Test Kitchen Tip: Hit fast-forward on this summer supper by starting with purchased pizza dough. Test Kitchen Tip: Salt the zucchini to help remove some of the excess water so you don’t end up with a soggy crust. Test Kitchen Tip: Let the zucchini bread stand overnight before slicing so that it’s extra moist the next morning. Test Kitchen Tip: Prep ahead for less stress. Assemble the entire lasagna and chill for up to 24 hours before baking and taking it to go....

1. Recycle Old Appliances There are many options for appliance recycling. For small appliances, methods vary depending on the appliance type and where you live. Try taking your small appliance to a local recycling center, suggests Adam Roper, a renewable energy expert. “They will often have special days or weeks when they will accept even more appliances.” Many cities and towns have centers that accept large appliances, too. Look online to find the nearest center....

1. Polar Bear Donuts When you’re through decorating, no one will even guess that these sweet polar bears started out as plain cake donuts. A mix of white frosting and shredded coconut makes realistic-looking polar bear “fur,” but the real showstopper is the powdered donut 3-D face. Marshmallow feet, ears, and a nose also help take each polar bear to new heights. Tie it all together with chocolate frosting—piping on footprints and eyes brings these cold-weather creatures to life....

First Saturday Lime Once a month, sprinkle this hydrated lime mixture around the base of your home to deter pests and boost soil fertility (increased soil PH leads to sweeter fruit and even turns hydrangeas pink!). It’s a popular product with pet owners, too. “I also use it on my lawn to keep pests down and keep the grass from turning yellow where my dog goes potty!” one reviewer said. You can use this powder as a limewash to add a worn pattern to paint, too....

Available at IKEA stores and online starting October 1, IKEA’s winter drop includes three seasonal lines: VINTERFINT 2022, STRÅLA, and VINTERSAGA. VINTERFINT, a continuation of the annual winter collection, features ornaments and other hanging decor, serving essentials, and gift wrap, while STRÅLA is a collection of festive lights perfect for lighting up long winter nights. VINTERSAGA adds new seasonal items—including ginger thins, a classic Swedish holiday sweet—to IKEA’s iconic culinary selection....

If you’re quarantined with your sweetie, there are plenty of virtual Valentine’s Day date ideas that are even better than a night out on the town. If you can’t be together in person this year, I also have some suggestions that’ll make you feel like you’re spending the holiday with each other. This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, so choose two or three of these ideas and plan the ultimate day together....

Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried are all great ways to add more fruit to your diet. Do aim, however, to eat whole fruit as much as possible to reap the most rewards. The Best Heart-Healthy Fruits These seven fruits are best for your heart and should be readily available at your local grocery stores. Apples Turns out an apple a day could actually keep the doctor away. Not only are apples a good way to add fiber to your diet and good-for-you flavonoids, but a couple of studies also found that people who regularly eat apples are less likely to develop high blood pressure....

Because white is a neutral color, it’s easy to incorporate an artificial white tree into whatever design style and color palette you have in your home. Whether your style tends towards traditional or your space is decked out in farmhouse-style decor, we have plenty of ideas for white Christmas tree decorations. A white tree provides the perfect backdrop for pastel-colored ornaments, rustic woodland-themed decorations, and nostalgic antique-style baubles too. Whatever color theme and ornaments you decide on for your white Christmas tree, there’s one element that’s an absolute must and that’s plenty of bright twinkle lights!...

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Aleppo pepper Dried tomatoes, finely chopped + fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped Dukkah (an Egyptian nut and spice mixture) Everything bagel seasoning Grated Parmesan + dried Italian seasoning Za’atar (a Middle Eastern sesame seed and herb mixture) Related Video

One: Thriller The first ingredient is an attention-grabbing plant, also called a thriller. This plant takes center stage in a container, serving as the star of the design production. All additional plants relate to this player in some way. Usually, the thriller plant features an in-your-face shape with a strong upright growth habit. Thrillers typically unleash flower power by blooming nonstop all season, or they unfurl dramatic leaves. In containers viewed from all sides, place a thriller in the center....

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Valentine Cookie Pizza: Prepare as directed except omit red and green chocolate pieces. Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups red and white candy-coated milk chocolate pieces over chocolate mixture. Nutrition analysis per serving: 416 calories, 6 g protein, 53 g carbohydrate, 22 g total fat (8 g sat. fat), 8 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 38 g total sugar, 1% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 188 mg sodium, 3% calcium, 10% iron Easter Cookie Pizza Prepare as directed except omit chocolate pieces....

1. Make It an Annual Affair Yearly pruning promotes yearly fruit production. Removing large quantities of branches—one-third or more of the overall tree—will cause a tree to produce lots of leafy growth and no fruit. The leafy growth is the tree’s response to stress; the tree is attempting to regain its energy producing structures so it can sustain itself. Avoid the stress response and lack of fruiting altogether by making small pruning cuts each year rather that heavy pruning every few years....

How to Quickly Chill Cookie Dough If you start whipping up a cookie recipe only to realize you have to chill the dough for a longer amount of time than you have, there’s a trick for speeding up the process: freezing the cookie dough. That’s right, you can freeze it for a bit to shave quite a bit of time off the chilling suggestion in the recipe. Here’s what our Test Kitchen recommends when quickly chilling cookie dough in the freezer:...

Not all roses need deadheading, and some need a little more care than just snipping off the old blooms, so follow the tips below for the variety you’re growing. Other than knowing which type of rose you’re working with, all you need for the job is a good pair of gardening shears. Deadheading Hybrid Tea Roses The general rule for deadheading hybrid teas is to find the top set of five leaflets, then cut the stem below that at the second set of five leaflets....

Keeping a lawn in tip-top shape often means applying an organic fertilizer twice a year, aerating periodically to discourage thatch buildup and soil compaction, watering regularly, and properly mowing it. But even if you do everything right, you can still end up with bare, thin, or weedy patches here and there. One of the most important parts of lawn repair is figuring out what has caused the problem. Sometimes an accident, such as a fertilizer spill, creates a bare spot in the lawn....

What Are Sprouts? Sprouts are the first growth that is produced from a germinated seed. These tiny plant shoots have high levels of key vitamins and minerals. Plus they add a crisp texture to sandwiches, salads, and stir-fries. Unlike most vegetables that often take weeks or months to grow, sprouts mature in 3 to 5 days and don’t need soil, fertilizer, or sunshine to grow. They do, however, need plenty of your attention if you’re going to grow them safely from your home—make sure you follow the cleaning, rinsing, and draining steps outlined below....