Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

A few summers ago, we tried to make peach ice cream by mixing fresh peaches with vanilla in the test kitchen. We never quite got the results we were hoping for. The truth is, peach ice cream made from scratch - from make-your-own-mix to ice cream maker - can't be beat. But when we don't have time for our classic GH peach ice cream recipe, we turn to these store-bought cartons:

Graeter's Summer Peach Ice Cream1. Graeter's Summer Peach: This mail-order specialty is the closest thing we found to homemade. Prepared in small batches, you can taste summer in each scoop.

Delicious peach ice creams2. Haagen Dazs Orchard Peach Sorbet: For pure peach flavor, this sweet sorbet comes pretty close. It lacks the milky subtlety of ice cream, but is a fantastic dairy-free option.

3. Blue Bell Peaches and Homemade Vanilla: On the other end of the spectrum is this creamy swirl from Texas. It's available in stores throughout then Southwest and online.

4. Ben and Jerry's Willie Nelson's Country Peach Cobbler: If you're into the fully loaded

Sell your old jewelry for cashThe old practice of hocking personal belongings to get cash fast - a.k.a. pawning - is on the uptick, no doubt due to the hot reality show Pawn Stars, which documents the doings at a Las Vegas shop. But that series usually focuses on rare finds that are sold for a flat fee, not pawned. The real heart of pawning is short-term "safety net" loans for more ordinary items. Here's how it usually works (no matter what The Old Man might do on TV): You bring in your item, the pawnbroker makes an offer, and then - after some negotiation - he gives you cash. If you want to get your item back, you have a set time period (often 30 days) to repay the loan with interest. Do so on time, and you'll get your item back. Default on the loan, and the prize goes to the pawnbroker - who then has the right to sell it. What's more, there's now a whole online pawning industry for people who don't want to set foot in a pawnshop. Either way, you have to learn the ropes so you won't sell yourself short:

1.

Kids can be the biggest mess-makers, so don't mess around when it comes to teaching them good organizing habits! The sooner you can empower your kids with these concepts, the better. Preparing our kids to be independent adults will be much easier if they've been taught these skills and habits, and it can make your life easier now, too!

Put Limits on KeepsakesPut Limits on Keepsakes

Some children let go of things more easily than others, but for those who are stubborn about wanting to save every little thing, give them what we call a "limiting container." They can keep all of the keepsakes they want, as long as they fit in this box, or on this shelf.

Related: 10 Biggest Organizing Mistakes

Have Morning and Evening Routines

You may know your everyday habits, but be more deliberate about verbalizing the steps of your morning and evening routines with the kids. You can even post a checklist on a bathroom mirror or bedroom wall for things like packing your lunch, gathering your papers,

Get your free credit reportThe advice from financial gurus is to check your credit report regularly to be sure there are no inaccuracies and that the only lines of credit in your name are ones that you've taken out (i.e., that your identity hasn't been stolen). Still, even if you're pretty sure nothing will be amiss, actually requesting a report is a scary proposition. Here are some facts I learned when I checked mine for the first time that can reduce the fear factor:

Access your report through the site that's actually free: annualcreditreport.com. It's a joint venture from the three credit-reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and Transunon), which are each required by law to provide you free access to your credit file once per calendar year. You can also call 877-322-8228, and there's even a snailmail option - but if you've worked up the nerve, why prolong the process?

Related: 7 Ways to Get a Better Credit Score

Know what kind of information you'll find on the document. The three bureaus

Peach Crostata Easy and delicious ways to cook this refreshing fruit. For these recipes, use halved, pitted peaches.

1. Peach Crostata

Preheat oven to 425°F. In lg. bowl, toss 1 lb. peaches, peeled and thinly sliced, with 3 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, ⅛ tsp. ground ginger, and pinch salt. Unroll 1 refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust (for 9-in. pie) on cookie sheet. Arrange peach mixture on crust, leaving 2-in. border; fold border over filling. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden. Serves 4.

2. Peachy Grilled Chicken

Prepare grill for direct grilling on medium-high. In lg. bowl, stir together ½ c. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, crushed with press; 2 tsp. grated lemon peel; and ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper. Add 1 lb. peaches; toss. Transfer peaches to plate. Add 1¼ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs to mint mixture; toss to coat. Grill chicken 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through (165°F), turning over once. Grill peaches 5 minutes or

Summer food safety tipsPicnics and barbecues are tons of fun but in the warm weather, you need to be particularly careful about handling the fixin's if you don't want to get sick. Here are our cardinal rules of summer food safety:

1. Bring on the Ice: Pack at least a half-pound of ice per quart capacity of your cooler.

2. The Food Goes First: Fill your cooler with food then place the ice on top - cold air and melted ice will travel down.

3. Keep the Sun Away: At the picnic site, keep the cooler under a tree or in a shaded spot where it's out of direct sunlight.

Related: How to be Food-Safety Smart

4. Box 'em Separate: Pack a separate cooler for snacks like fruit and drinks. That way every time the cooler's opened, meat and salads won't be exposed to hot air.

5. No Drips Allowed: Make sure raw meats are well packaged so they can't drip on other foods or utensils.

6. Temperature Check: Pack an instant read thermometer and use it to make sure meat's grilled to safe internal

Best meats for summer grillingWe're well into summer and nothing beats grilled meats. As fabulous as ribeyes and pork chops are, high prices have me looking to other parts of animals for interesting cuts to grill. Here are three of favorites I've come across.

Pork Leg Cutlets: I adore grilled pork, and leg cutlets are a great option. I buy them boneless, meaning the shank bone has been cut out of each piece, and sear them for about 2 minutes on each side over high heat. The taste and texture is similar to pork tenderloin. They're tender, low in fat, and best of all, about half the price of center-cut pork loin chops.

Tip: Since these cutlets are much thinner than traditional pork chops, cook over high heat to get grill marks without overcooking the cutlets in the middle.

Related: A Guide to Great Grilling

Lamb Shoulder Steaks: Who doesn't love lamb chops cooked over an open flame? But if traditional lamb chops (cut from the rib section) give you sticker shock, consider the less popular (but

Surprise: It's not okay to wait a year to send a wedding gift. From Peggy Post, a refresher course on this and other tricky rules.

woman shaking hands Mistake #1

Skipping an introduction. You don't introduce your friend Jen to acquaintance Ann because you've forgotten Ann's name.

Why it's wrong: You're being rude to both parties by not acquainting them with each other.

What to do instead: Don't be ashamed to admit your memory lapse (we've all been there). It's better to fess up than to pretend that these people don't need to be introduced. Say to Ann, "I remember meeting you, but unfortunately, I just can't recall your name. I'm so sorry!" If anything sticks in your mind about your first conversation with the person, bring it up: "We had such a great talk about your days in the Peace Corps.... It's just your name that's escaping me. Please help me out!" If you're afraid you'll insult the person whose name you've forgotten, you can always ask the woman you're speaking with to act as a