Posts

Preparation It’s easy to forget that Adam Brody and Leighton Meester are married—and have been for nearly five years. The reason? The duo (the actress, especially!) is notoriously private. In a recent interview with GQ, the former The O.C. actor opened up about why the public hears very little about their marriage—and why this, ultimately, works in their relationship’s favor. According to Brody, the decision to keep details of the couple’s married life close to home originated with Meester....

Ingredients 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil's food cake mix 1 cup water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 container Betty Crocker™ Whipped milk chocolate frosting 1 marshmallow Red colored sugar 35 pieces candy corn Preparation Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally....

Preparation Yoga stretches offer up more benefits than just aiding in flexibility. Restorative yoga, the practice of gentle, slow yoga, can also help some achieve a better night’s sleep, especially when paired with meditation and deep breathing. We spoke to obé instructor Beth Cooke, and Alex Montefalco, a restorative yoga teacher at New York Yoga, to find out the best yoga poses to help you fall asleep in no time....

Preparation Ah, home sweet home! Everybody needs their own space - even our pets. So when we found out about a woman who transformed the space under her staircase into a room for her dog, we set out on a mission to find other ways people have made their dogs (quite literally) feel at home. Let’s be honest, outdoor dog houses are okay in the warm months, but winter is coming and it’s cozy inside....

Ingredients 1 lb bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup) 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (3/4 cup) 1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3/4 cup milk 12 eggs 1 package (2 lb) frozen hash browns, thawed 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz) Preparation In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Using slotted spoon. Remove from pan to small bowl....

Ingredients 2 cups cut-up cooked chicken 1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz) 1 2/3 cups Original Bisquick™ mix 2/3 cup milk Preparation Heat oven to 375°F. In 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish, mix chicken, corn, soup and cheese. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and milk with fork or wire whisk until soft dough forms....

Ingredients 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ spice cake mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box 1 cup chopped peeled apple (1 medium) 12 oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup butter, softened 4 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup caramel topping 24 cinnamon sticks (3 inch) Ground cinnamon Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs....

Ingredients 1 lb ground beef sirloin 1 cup chipotle salsa 2 tablespoons water 6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce 4 cups baked tortilla chips 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups) 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup) 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend (1 oz) Preparation In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain....

Ingredients 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup shortening 1/2 cup buttermilk 2 eggs 3 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups candied cherries, cut in half 2 cups chopped dates 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans Pecan halves, if desired Preparation In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, buttermilk and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until blended, or mix with spoon....

Ingredients 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 3 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 cups coarsely chopped peeled baking apples (3 medium) 1 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup butter (do not use margarine) 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 to 3 tablespoons milk Preparation Heat oven to 350°F....

Ingredients 2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup firm butter or margarine 3/4 cup milk 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 2 to 3 teaspoons milk Preparation Heat oven to 425°F. Grease 8 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, mix flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the baking powder and salt....

Ingredients 3 cups powdered sugar 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon coconut extract 1 to 3 tablespoons milk Preparation In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and salt with spoon or with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Beat in coconut extract and 1 tablespoon of the milk. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Related Video

Ingredients Reynolds™ Parchment Paper 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix 1 box (4-serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix 1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 eggs 1 cup dry-roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with Reynolds Parchment Paper; set aside. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, pudding mix and flour....

Ingredients 2 2/3 cups firmly packed flaked coconut 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 4 egg whites 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 3 oz dark baking chocolate, chopped Preparation Heat oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat. In large bowl, mix coconut, sugar and flour. Stir in egg whites, pecans, orange peel, vanilla and almond extract....

My current kitchen is practical and perfect for home use, but with video equipment, lights, cameras, and mixing bowls and plates of all sizes for taste testing, it does feel cramped. I also don’t get natural sunlight so it has to be lit with lights. My wish list goes go on and on, but a girl’s got to dream right? Do you also dream about a perfect kitchen? Now I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately so here is how I imagined my dream kitchen:...

Ingredients 2 cups mango juice or tropical juice blend 1/4 to 1/2 cup lime juice 12 to 14 ice cubes 1 cup club soda 1 pint coconut ice cream, coconut sorbet or vanilla ice cream Large candy sprinkles, if desired Preparation Chill glass jars or goblets in freezer several hours before serving, if desired. Place mango juice, lime juice and ice cubes in blender. Cover and blend on high speed about 45 seconds or until smooth....

Preparation Decorating a pumpkin is no easy decision. Considering you only take on this art project once a year, you want it to be original, showstopping, creative-in other words, your best idea yet. So what do you choose? Painting? Embroidered appliqués? Studs and spikes? Carving a scary face? Or a cute one? And if carving a portrait of your pet isn’t necessarily for you, but you still want to go for something non-traditional, we’ve got an intergalactic-meets-extravagant idea....

Ingredients 3 cups tapioca flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 cup whole milk 3/4 cup canola oil 3 eggs 1 cup gluten-free shredded or grated Parmesan cheese Preparation Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 12 mini muffin cups with butter or cooking spray (without flour). In blender, place all ingredients. Cover; blend, using on-and-off pulses, until well combined. Fill muffin cups three-fourths full with batter. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and puffed....

Preparation Whether you’re buying a pint at the grocery store, loading up at a local farmers’ market, or growing your own in the backyard, these tips will keep your favorite berries, whether they are blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries, or strawberries, fresh as long as possible. Before placing a container in your shopping cart, inspect what’s on the inside. Check for mold, super soft spots, and discoloration on the berries. Blueberries that have shriveled a bit and lack firmness are likely to go bad within a day or two of purchase....

Ingredients 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 lb) 2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt-free lemon-and-pepper seasoning 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives 4 thin slices lemon Preparation Set oven control to broil. Spray broiler pan rack with cooking spray. Starting at thickest edge of each chicken breast, cut horizontally almost to opposite side. Open cut chicken breast so it’s an even thickness....