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Preparation When planning a wedding, it’s sometimes the smallest detail that makes the biggest impact on your guests. At the end of the day, the majority of your focus (and budget!) doesn’t need to revolve around spending on lavish flowers or fancy food-it’s more important to ensure that your friends and family are comfortable and content. Here, celebrity wedding planner Stefanie Cove shares a few easy décor additions that will impress your guests, without fail....

We are not very far away from the holiday. Are you prepared? This time of year can be a little hectic, but we try to enjoy the little moments whenever we can, and with gratitude for all. In this holiday gift guide, you’ll find some really cool recommendations, from eco-friendly essentials, smart gadgets, fun gifts for kids, best kitchen tools and so on. They are our tried-and-true favorites, so we hope you have a chance to check them out and get a little head start on your own holiday gifting....

Preparation “RSVP” is a fancy, abbreviated way of asking guests to let you know whether or not they’re coming to your wedding. You mail an RSVP card with each invitation then sit back and wait for guests to reply. Pretty exciting! What’s not so exciting, though, is managing all of those responses. That’s why we’re sharing tips that make handling RSVPs a whole lot easier. From the right wording to include and when to make your deadline to how to best to keep track of who’s coming and who’s not, get our best advice here....

Happy Monday! Let’s start the week with a bento recipe! Well, I know my post today is a bit later than usual but the site was experiencing some technical issues last night and the post got delayed. If you are trying to search on my blog right now, it’s not available at this time. My husband and I will fix it soon and I’m sorry for the inconvenience. If you are curious what happened, 2 ip addresses spammed 5,000 comments and basically crashed my site and corrupted my database for 5 hours last night....

Ingredients 1/3 cup butter (do not use margarine) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 cup applesauce 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter (do not use margarine) 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon rum flavor 3 to 4 teaspoons half-and-half or milk Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray....

Ingredients 1 lb lean ground beef (at least 80%) 2 cups chopped yellow onions 2 tablespoons butter 1 bag (10 oz) angel hair coleslaw mix 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 can (15 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato sauce 2 cups cooked white rice 2 eggs 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves Sour cream, if desired Preparation Heat oven to 350°F....

Ingredients 4 cups light chocolate soymilk 2 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed, if desired Preparation In 2-quart saucepan, heat soymilk, chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat to low. Simmer 4 minutes, stirring frequently, to blend flavors. Garnish each serving with whipped topping....

Serve as a side with your favorite Mexican dish, like Classic Tacos! Like our Shrimp Ceviche, this homemade Pico De Gallo is so much better than what you would order at your favorite Mexican restaurant. Not only is it absolutely delicious, but it’s also SO EASY to make. What is Pico De Gallo? Authentic Pico de Gallo is a type of salsa used in Mexican cuisine. The traditional recipe uses fresh chopped tomatoes, onion, cumin, lime juice and fresh cilantro....

Ingredients 1 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles, undrained Preparation Heat oven to 400°. Lightly grease bottom and sides of square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, with shortening or spray with cooking spray....

Ingredients 1 lb ground beef (at least 80% lean) 1 1/4 cups water 1 cup milk 1 box Hamburger Helper™ crunchy taco 1/3 cup milk 12 Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for burritos (8 inch; from two 11-oz packages) 1/3 cup sliced green onions 1 large tomato, chopped Preparation In 10-inch skillet; cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in water, 1 cup milk and the sauce mix (from Hamburger Helper box) until blended....

Ingredients 1 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/4 cup Hershey’s™ Special Dark™ cocoa 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces 2 1/2 cups 60% cacao bittersweet dark chocolate chips (from two 10-oz bags) 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside. In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and 1 cup of the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted....

Try these other delicious apple recipes such as our Apple Bread recipe or the Classic Hot Apple Cider! These recipes are especially great during apple season! APPLE CAKE- This fluffy apple cake is a classic in the Slavic community, we call it Sharlotka! I love to whip up this cake together when craving a sweet treat or when we get unexpected guests coming. The sponge cake combined with juicy apple slices and baked to perfection tastes so airy yet filling!...

Preparation If you aren’t already privy to the design potential of decoupage, then now’s the time to discover it. A centuries-old decorating technique, decoupage involves gluing colored paper cutouts to a surface or an object to create a layered effect. And though the process itself dates back to 12th century Siberia, there are a number of modern ways to use decoupage in contemporary spaces today. John Derian knows a thing or two about decoupage....

Ingredients 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 1/3 cups Bisquick™ Gluten Free mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup milk 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Preparation Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray (without flour). In small bowl, mix 6 tablespoons butter, the brown sugar and pecans. Divide mixture evenly among muffin cups....

Green tea is synonymous with Japanese tea. It is the most consumed beverage in Japan, valued for its health and restorative properties. Drinking green tea (緑茶) is a custom that has been interwoven into Japanese culture, with almost every meal in Japan accompanied by a freshly brewed pot of green tea. It is a way of life and an embodiment of Japanese hospitality. Before taking your next sip, let’s discuss the history of green tea, types of green tea, and the best way of drinking green tea for optimal health benefits....

Ingredients 1 cup barbecue sauce 2 tablespoons bourbon 1 teaspoon finely chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can) 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 can (13.8 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Classic Crust Pizza Crust 2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (8 oz) 1 orange bell pepper, chopped 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced 2 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled Preparation Heat gas or charcoal grill....

Ingredients 3/4 cup sour cream 1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 3 oz. (3/4 cup) shredded hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese 3/4 cup purchased bean dip 1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Salsa 1 (8-oz.) container frozen or refrigerated guacamole, thawed 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives Preparation In medium bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese and Monterey Jack cheese; mix well. Spread evenly on 10-inch serving plate. Refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly set....

Ingredients 2 packages regular active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F) 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 3 teaspoons salt 2 1/2 cups very warm water (120°F to 130°F) 4 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ whole wheat flour 2 3/4 to 3 3/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour Preparation In large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add honey, butter, salt, 2 1/2 cups very warm water and 3 cups of the whole wheat flour....

Preparation With over a decade of experience as a wedding makeup artist, I have mastered the ability to get an entire bridal party in and out of the chair efficiently. While I know three hours is more than enough time for me to get six bridesmaids wedding-ready on my own, I also know that larger parties require more time and/or more hands. A hairstylist will have his or her own time requirements and a maximum number of women they’re able to work with during any given amount of time....

Preparation What’s a piece of pie or a batch of shortcakes without a dollop of whipped cream? It elevates just about any dessert. And while you might feel nostalgic for the stuff that comes in a can or plastic tub, trust us, nothing can beat homemade whipped cream. Follow our helpful hints for getting this finishing touch just right, customizing it to your taste, and even using a kid-friendly shortcut....