Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

Happiness expert Gretchen RubinWhen I talk to people about happiness,one question that often arises is, "Sure, happiness has many elements. But if you had to pick the most important thing, what is the key to happiness?" It's a question that can be answered in different ways, depending on what framework you use to ponder the issue, but if I had to choose, I think there are three keys to happiness.

The first key? Self-knowledge

"Know yourself" is advice that people have been doling out for thousands of years - "Know Thyself" is inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the monument from ancient Greece that still stands today - and it's also one of the most challenging.

As part of my happiness project, I identified my 12 Personal Commandments - the 12 principles that I want to guide my actions and thoughts - and the first, most important commandment is, "Be Gretchen."

Why is it so hard to know ourselves? You'd think that nothing could be simpler or more obvious. After all, you're hanging out with

Money expert Carmen Wong UlrichThe number of adults taking care of aging parents has tripled in the past 15 years, and a recent survey by caring.com shows that 42% of family caregivers say they're spending more than $5,000 a year caring for an aging parent. That's a lot of green. Now, money in itself is a touchy subject for most families; add to that the dramatic role reversal that can occur as our parents need our care, and you've got a very tough topic. Here, money expert Carmen Wong Ulrich helps make it a bit easier to have the talk and ensure parents' financial health with three strategies:

Mistake: Ignoring your parents' budget

If you don't know whether your parents are keeping up with their expenses or what kind of income they are living on - and the size of their nest egg (if they even have one) - then it's time to go on a fact-finding mission so you can help them avoid financial trouble.

Move to Make: Do some research about your mother and father's finances

First, break the ice by talking

Best Health SitesYour stomach hurts, so you Google "abdominal pain." You click on a promising listing or two - out of the 19,300,000 that offer themselves - but by the time you finish dodging the pop-ups and sorting out all the "sponsored links," you have a headache, as well. And even if you do land on a site that seems to offer the help you're looking for, you can't be sure the advice is accurate and up-to-date. That's why we put together this cheat sheet: a shortlist of trustworthy websites and free apps covering common health issues. As Jessie C. Gruman, Ph.D., president and founder of the Center for Advancing Health, told us, "You don't need a lot of tools to be a well-informed patient - you just need the right ones." These sources, say the leading physicians and informatics experts we spoke with, are just what the doctor ordered.

General Health

SITE WE TRUST: medlineplus.gov A trove of info from the National Institutes of Health - even the family pet gets a section. Covers more than 900

You hate it - the smell, the cost, the time commitment - and yet you wouldn't dream of going without it. Coloring your hair can take years off your looks - even if it sometimes feels like a bad habit you can't break. And it can be less onerous. This guide to creating rich, long-lasting hues at home - and getting your money's worth at the salon - is loaded with smart advice and the best damage-control tactics from the pros.

5 Tips for At-Home Success

1. Check Your Sides
The model on the front of a box is there to catch your attention, not to predict your future shade, says Brad Johns, color director of Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas. The actual colors you can start with and achieve with a kit are shown in photos on the side of the box.Hair Color Help

2. Lighten Up
When in doubt, pick a hue that's just one shade lighter or darker than your current one. Feeling more daring? It's easier to correct too-light mistakes (by adding dye over them) than too-dark slipups (which may require

White Chocolate CheesecakeWondering what to do with all that cream cheese you bought? Try these delicious recipe ideas! Each of these recipes calls for softened full-fat cream cheese.

1. Pimiento Spread

In lg. bowl, mix 8 oz. cream cheese; 8 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded; ¼ c. mayonnaise; ½ c. pimiento peppers, drained and chopped; ¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce; and ⅛ tsp. salt until well blended. Serve with crackers and assorted raw vegetables. Makes 2⅓ c.

Cook 1 lb. fresh or frozen gnocchi 1 minute less than label directs. Add 1 c. frozen peas; cook 1 minute. Reserve ⅓ c. cooking water. Drain gnocchi mixture. In 12-in. skillet, whisk 8 oz. cream cheese and reserved cooking water on medium-low until smooth. Stir in 3 oz. blue cheese, crumbled; gnocchi mixture; and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Top with ½ c. walnuts, toasted and chopped. Serves 4.

Related: 70+ Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Line 8" by 8" baking pan with foil. Spread 4 oz.

By Carolyn Forte

Tide ColdwaterYou might think that after all the laundry detergents we've tested at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute there really wouldn't be much we didn't know about them. Not true. Every time we undertake a comprehensive product evaluation we learn something new, even in a category we've tested many times before. Here's what our most recent investigation of 74, yes, you read right, 74 liquid, powder, and single-dose laundry detergents taught us:

1. Detergents are doing a better job in cold water than they used to As consumers have dialed down wash temperatures and opted for more cold water cycles to save energy, detergent manufactures have responded. Many of our test detergents, even those not specifically formulated for use in cold water, did a good job removing stains from the cotton and polyester swatches we washed in cold water. If you're thinking of switching to low temperature washing, give your usual detergent a try. If the results aren't satisfactory,

This past fall, I visited the Lake Champlain Chocolate factory in Vermont. I had such a good time that I returned this winter to stay at the Stowe Mountain Lodge and have a taste of delicious local specialties. That's arguably the best thing about eating in Vermont: the availability of great local produce, meats, and cheeses, which you can find and identify through the Vermont Fresh Network. But what to do if you can't make it to Vermont? Here are three of my favorite nationally-available state specialties:

1. Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream: Yes, they are now owned by food giant Unilever, but as I learned on my tour of the factory, most of the ice cream is still made in Vermont. And it's still really, really good, as proven by our vanilla ice cream taste test. My daughter assures me that their current limited edition of Rocky Road-ish is "the best ever." Today (April 3rd), you can get a free cone (any flavor!) in their stores from 12 to 8 pm.

Ben and Jerry's Vanilla Ice Cream

2. Cabot Cheese: I love their

Follow our easy steps to cook the best omelet for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a late-night snack. Because cooking time is so short, you'll need to have your eggs, seasonings, and fillings at your elbow so you can give individual attention to each omelet. And now, we begin...

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