A birthday gift hack for everyone you know: all you need is the right question. Is there someone in your life who is impossible to buy for when his or her birthday comes around? It may not be “the person who has everything” who is the hardest to buy for… […]
Cocoa is always a favorite, and the peppermint version is especially delicious. You can add a few marshmallows for the little ones, or some vodka for that uncle who is looking for something “festive.” When you’ve got a house full of guests, a stovetop brimming over with holiday food, and […]
Who needs bows? When you’re wrapping gifts–especially gifts that you’ll be traveling with or shipping to their recipients–you can skip the time and expense of bows and decorate your Christmas gifts with a beautiful and easy, ribbon weave. Just lay one stripe of ribbon down at a time, and weave […]
A DIY holiday chandelier is easy to make if you have a hanging lamp, ceiling lamp, or even a ceiling fan in your home. Start with some Christmas tree ornaments. They don’t even have to be your favorites because, after all, they will be up near the ceiling. And they […]
DIY holiday décor doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money. You can make something spectacular with simple Christmas tree ornaments. No time for a tree? No worries. You can still get your ornaments out and create your own elegant décor. Use a cake stand, a “cloche” (we […]
Cookies are everyone’s favorite–especially during the holidays. You’ve probably spent a lot of time cooking up your mom’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Now here’s the way to wrap up those treats with style. For a holiday cookie swap, or just bringing treats over to the neighbors, forget about the standard paper […]
Oh, Christmas dinner–the time to have fun, reconnect with family, and bring up touchy subjects. Have you spent too much money on holiday gifts this year? You’re not alone. On average, an individual spends almost $900 on holiday gifts–and that doesn’t even begin to include travel and holiday meals! Bring […]
Gingerbread cookies are festive and fun, and you can easily turn them into holiday decorations! Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to add some “country cottage” holiday charm to your home. When you’re making these tasty cookies (here’s the easiest way to do that), use a straw to make two holes […]
Labels add the finishing touch on gifts, yet far too often we put all the effort into wrapping the gift, and the labels are treated as an afterthought. Now you can make DIY gift tags that are not only simple but also reflect what’s inside the package. This is so […]
Christmas ornaments can turn into keepsakes or even family heirlooms, especially when they are hand-made. But you don’t have to be an expert crafter to make holiday ornaments that will be treasured for years to come. These are so easy, even a first-time crafter can make them! Start with clear […]
Edible ornaments? Yes, and they are so easy to make that you’ll wish you’d known about this DIY project ages ago. All you need are some crushed candy canes, metal cookie cutters, and a little DIY genius. Oil a cookie sheet (and the inside of the cookie cutters), add the crushed candy, […]
Glass jars that you’ve tucked away all year are just what you need for this holiday hack. No room for a Christmas tree? No problem. It’s time to put those glass vases and mason jars to use. Fill the jars with ornaments, holly (real or faux, no worries), or LED […]
Candy canes are delightful at the holidays–you can hang them on the Christmas tree, use them to decorate garland, make place cards, and of course, eat them! For the kiddies enjoying hot cocoa, and for the grownups sipping on some eggnog, try using them as candy-coated stir sticks. Just melt chocolate (in […]
A Christmas tree cheeseboard is a wonderful way to serve up cheese and grapes as an appetizer. We love edible Christmas trees, especially when they are this fun and delicious! To make a Christmas tree cheeseboard, use sprigs of rosemary and thyme for the branches, then layer cubes of cheese, grapes, […]
Cranberry ice adds a festive flair to your drinks, appetizer platters and ice buckets at the holidays. It’s so simple to make, too. You can buy a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries at the grocery store. There’s no need to cook them, but be sure to rinse them! Add […]
The easiest Christmas manicure doesn’t require any special tools or heating lamps. Here’s a manicure you can do at home, with masking tape! First, polish your nails–we think green works perfectly for this endeavor, but you can also use red or silver. Then, when the first layer of polish is […]
Snowmen pumpkins are all the rage this year. It’s a smart way to “upcycle” your leftover Halloween décor. Whether your leftover pumpkins are the real deal or made of foam, it’s easy to paint them white and turn them into snowmen! (If the neighborhood kids already smashed your pumpkins, you can […]
A DIY holiday candle holder that is so easy and practically free! We’ve found yet another use for mason jars–or any empty jars you have handy: making your own holiday candle holders. This is easy and inexpensive: just tie some small cuttings from your tree (or your neighbor’s tree!), cinnamon […]
Candy cane frosting is perfect for holiday cookies and cakes. This easy frosting is lighter than traditional frosting–and quick to make. In fact, it’s so simple you can invite your husband–we mean, your kids–to help you make it. Start with some candy canes of any size. Place them in a brown […]
Wrapping paper has a way of disappearing–especially when your friends and family stop by and use yours. When you run out, it’s time to get creative. Use paper bags, turned inside out, to get a nice “Kraft paper” look. Forget about ribbons and bows! You can use any string that you […]
Hang a wreath on your front door without using a single nail. There are lots of good reasons to put up a wreath–it’s festive, fresh and a lot less expensive than decorating an entire tree! But, if you rent, or if you have a really nice front door, you probably don’t […]
The scent of Christmas is distinct, fresh and somehow reassuring, probably because it includes things that remind us of home: cinnamon, vanilla, pine, and cranberries. It is said that our sense of smell is strongly linked to memory, so let’s make this year full of good memories and wonderful smells. Now you […]
Strawberry Santas are super easy to make and require only three ingredients: strawberries, whipped cream and tiny round candies like these. Start with a bunch of strawberries. Rinse and remove the stems. Slice the top one-third of a strawberry, add whipped cream, then put the top of the strawberry on top of […]
Organize ribbon once and for all–when it’s time to wrap it up, you don’t have time for searching through a messy bag full of rolls of ribbon, only to find out you actually don’t have what you need. Use a free-standing paper towel holder to keep all your ribbons, strings and […]
Hang ornaments without stressing over those tricky little ornament hooks. The simplest way to connect an ornament and a Christmas tree? Paper clips! Of course you want your home or office to look festive, and ornaments, a holiday centerpiece, add to your festive style. Yet it seems that, every year, […]
Wrap oddly shaped gifts the easy way without spending a fortune on gift bags! Sure, wrapping up a gift with wrinkled paper and a whole lot of tape is cute–when you’re a kid. But presentation is important, and people do get a bit tired of digging gifts out of generic […]
Decorate cookies at the holidays–or any time of year–without the hassle of special tools. (Yes, there are special tools for this task, but you can do it for a fraction of the cost!) Decorating cookies and cakes adds some cheer to dessert–and it’s a fun way to keep the kids busy. […]
Holiday brownies combine the best of both worlds: sweets + holiday celebration. (Oh, and at the holidays, calories don’t really count.) Whether you are making brownies, blondies, fudge, or even homemade marshmallows, make them in the shapes of Christmas trees, stars and holly with this very simple trick: use metal cookie […]
A DIY holiday serving tray is easy to make, and it will make everything you cook over the holidays look especially sumptuous. Of course, you want your fancy holiday drinks to taste good (here’s a vodka hack that will help). For holiday appetizers or drinks, you can make a fancy […]
Babyproof outlets the easy, inexpensive and temporary way. When friends and family with small children come to visit your home at the holidays, be prepared. There’s no need to run out and buy outlet covers, as long as you have a box of Band-aids handy. The quickest way to make […]
Store small ornaments the easiest way in the world–just put them in an empty egg carton! When you’re ready to take down the Christmas tree, wreath, and creative décor, take the hooks off each ornament and tuck them away in the safety of the humble egg carton (six or twelve, […]
Edible Christmas trees are simple to make and delicious to eat. All you need is pita bread, guacamole and some pretzel sticks. You can add tomatoes or sour cream for some extra pizazz. Make your own colorful and healthy Christmas appetizer with these simple ingredients. Cut pita bread into wedges […]
DIY dried fruit is a lot easier than you might imagine. Dried fruit–made fresh by you–is a perfect on-the-go snack, easy to take with you to the office or the gym. You can eat it on the run or add it to a salad. If you’re feeling really creative (and […]
Super juicy turkey is what every cook is aiming for at the holidays, and any time. Nobody wants to spend hours in the kitchen only to end up with a dried-out bird. The best-kept secret to a juicy turkey is this: cheesecloth. First, melt a stick of butter and season […]
Penny pie weights are an old-school hack for an all-time favorite: pie. If you’ve ever tried to make a pie crust from scratch, it may have turned out a bit differently than you’d planned. Without using pie weights when you bake the crust, it can turn into something that looks […]
A fat separator is the secret to perfect gravy. And it’s one of those tools that you might not have known you needed, but will wonder how you lived without. If you are new to the culinary scene–that is, you’ve been eating at Mom’s all your life–you may have never […]
Keep gravy warm without using up precious real estate on your stovetop! During the holidays, when you’ve got friends and family mulling around in the kitchen and “helping” you cook, stovetop space is in demand. Rather than keeping your gravy warm in a stove-top saucepan, put it in a Thermos. […]
Fix overcooked turkey the easy way: chicken broth. It’s easy to overcook the turkey (unless you’ve slow-roasted it overnight). Then your friends and family show up, and you’ve got precious little to show for a day of prepping and cooking for the holiday. What to do? Revive too-dry turkey with chicken […]
50 shades of gravy will keep you and your guests satisfied throughout the holiday season. You want your gravy to be thick, juicy and tasty. But what if your bird just doesn’t have the juice? The most popular turkey of the season is the one that lived happily, running free […]
A DIY roasting tray is easy enough to make when you get a bit creative. We love creative DIY cooking ideas, like this roasting tray made of aluminum foil. But what if you’re out of foil? It’s the holiday, and the store is closed (or your friends and family have […]
Crimp pie crust the simple way and you can serve a pie that looks like it was made by a professional baker. When making pie from scratch (or making store-bought crust look homemade), you could use a specialized crimper to crimp the edges of your pie crust. If you can’t seem to […]
Post recipes on the cupboard, wall or refrigerator to make family cooking effortless. Families who cook together have a lot of fun! Whether you are preparing a full holiday meal or just making cookies, the best way for several people to work on a cooking project together is with a recipe […]
Cook stuffing in a muffin tin to make the most of your holiday meals. When you have leftover stuffing, place single portions in a muffin tin and bake. Depending on how dense the stuffing is (that is, how much sausage you put in), it should bake in about 15-20 minutes at 350. […]
A simple pie crust is what you need when you’re making a single-crust pie–like pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Here’s the way to make sure that the crust holds its shape. Once you’ve rolled out the dough and placed it in a pie tin (or Pyrex dish), put it in the […]
Holiday food prep is one thing you shouldn’t have to worry about this year. Chopping onions may make you cry, but cooking a holiday meal shouldn’t cause you to shed tears! Among the best things about holidays: spending time with family and friends, and of course enjoying great food. Among […]
Fluffy mashed potatoes are everybody’s favorite, and now you can make them easily with one simple trick. The perfect fluffy mashed potatoes have a secret ingredient: baking powder. Here’s a simple recipe for mashed potatoes, with just a touch of baking powder. You won’t be able to see it or […]
An easy DIY roasting rack may mean the difference between a perfect turkey and a total flop. You’ve spent your hard-earned money on a turkey and all the fixings, plus dessert and drinks. Now you’re preparing to cook the bird and the recipe mentions a roasting rack–like everyone happens to […]
Roast a turkey overnight to get an exceptionally moist and juicy bird and you’ll free up the oven for cooking appetizers and sides. A few points to note: Do not stuff the turkey (cook the stuffing separately–you might want to cook it in a muffin tin for fun); Use a roasting rack […]
Grated frozen butter can be your secret ingredient for delicious baking. If you’ve ever tried to save time by using melted butter when mixing up some dough, you know what can happen: flat-as-a-pancake cookies and biscuits. Yet stirring in hard butter can take ages and make a lumpy mess. Here’s a […]
Remove cherry pits before you serve a bowl of cherries and you won’t have to worry about your kids chocking on the pits–or spitting them out at their siblings. First, wash the cherries. Use a narrow-necked bottle, like a wine bottle or an old-fashioned soda bottle. If the cherry has […]
Create font based on your very own handwriting. Just a few years ago, creating a font took months of work by a graphic designer. Today, you can create a font based on your own handwriting, the easy way. High tech meets low tech at a website that will walk you through the […]
DIY nail art can be simple, fun and oh-so chic–all you need are a couple of Band-Aids. First, paint your nails with a base color. You can add a clear top-coat over the base, or over your “art” or, for a super long-lasting manicure, over both. Place the end of […]
Perfect mascara can be yours, at last. You want to coat all your lashes, from the base all the way up–but it can get messy. Try this: hold a business card at the base of your lashes. The card will absorb the extra mascara that would otherwise end up all […]
Remove water stains from your coffee tables, dining room table or even your piano bench (!) with the concentrated heat of your hair dryer. Cool glasses of water or hot cops of tea–along with those sippy cups full of juice that your kids love–leave a white mark on wood furniture. […]
Holiday food prep is one thing you shouldn’t have to worry about this year. Chopping onions may make you cry, but cooking a holiday meal shouldn’t cause you to shed tears! Among the best things about holidays: spending time with family and friends, and of course enjoying great food. Among […]
Candy canes are delightful at the holidays–you can hang them on the Christmas tree, use them to decorate garland, make place cards, and of course, eat them! For the kiddies enjoying hot cocoa, and for the grownups sipping on some eggnog, try using them as candy-coated stir sticks. Just melt chocolate (in […]
A simple pie crust is what you need when you’re making a single-crust pie–like pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Here’s the way to make sure that the crust holds its shape. Once you’ve rolled out the dough and placed it in a pie tin (or Pyrex dish), put it in the […]
Snowmen pumpkins are all the rage this year. It’s a smart way to “upcycle” your leftover Halloween décor. Whether your leftover pumpkins are the real deal or made of foam, it’s easy to paint them white and turn them into snowmen! (If the neighborhood kids already smashed your pumpkins, you can […]
Candy cane frosting is perfect for holiday cookies and cakes. This easy frosting is lighter than traditional frosting–and quick to make. In fact, it’s so simple you can invite your husband–we mean, your kids–to help you make it. Start with some candy canes of any size. Place them in a brown […]
Store small ornaments the easiest way in the world–just put them in an empty egg carton! When you’re ready to take down the Christmas tree, wreath, and creative décor, take the hooks off each ornament and tuck them away in the safety of the humble egg carton (six or twelve, […]
Cookies are everyone’s favorite–especially during the holidays. You’ve probably spent a lot of time cooking up your mom’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Now here’s the way to wrap up those treats with style. For a holiday cookie swap, or just bringing treats over to the neighbors, forget about the standard paper […]
Cocoa is always a favorite, and the peppermint version is especially delicious. You can add a few marshmallows for the little ones, or some vodka for that uncle who is looking for something “festive.” When you’ve got a house full of guests, a stovetop brimming over with holiday food, and […]
Who needs bows? When you’re wrapping gifts–especially gifts that you’ll be traveling with or shipping to their recipients–you can skip the time and expense of bows and decorate your Christmas gifts with a beautiful and easy, ribbon weave. Just lay one stripe of ribbon down at a time, and weave […]
Crimp pie crust the simple way and you can serve a pie that looks like it was made by a professional baker. When making pie from scratch (or making store-bought crust look homemade), you could use a specialized crimper to crimp the edges of your pie crust. If you can’t seem to […]
