Blog Posts by Real Simple Magazine

How to salvage overcooked chicken, a crumbly cake, mushy vegetables, and more.
By Renee Schettler

Kana OkadaHow to Fix Mushy Potatoes
Problem: You intended to boil those new potatoes just until fork-tender. But when you drained them, they collapsed into mush.

Solution: "Make mashed potatoes,'" Rozanne Gold, a chef and author of the 1-2-3 series of cookbooks, says. Not in the mood for a mash, make home fries: Drain the potatoes and fry them in a skillet with a small amount of fat―olive or peanut oil, butter, or bacon drippings―stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.

Next time: Gently simmer the potatoes instead of boiling them. The lower temperature causes the starch in them to swell more slowly. As a result, only a bit of the gummy starch leaks out of the potatoes and into the cooking water, says Shirley O. Corriher, a food scientist and the author of CookWise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed ($35, amazon.com).

See More: Top 10 Mashed Potato Recipes

Kana OkadaHow to Fix Stale

Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate ChipsOur favorite chips for the best cookies and treats.
By Suzanne Rust

Best Milk Chocolate Chips

Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips
"Smooth!" said several panelists, praising these chips. One tester, loving the way they melted on the tongue, called them "very mellow, with a milky vanilla taste." Another said, "They aren't overwhelmingly sweet." The chips' large size inspired one clever taster to propose using them for s'mores.

To buy: $3.85 for 11.5 ounces.

See More: 50 Best Chocolate Recipes

365 Whole Foods Real Semi-Sweet Chocolate ChipsBest Semisweet Chocolate Chips

365 Whole Foods Real Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
"Kind of like a wine with different notes, they have several layers of flavor," said one sampler of these "sophisticated" chips. Another enjoyed the "nice, lingering aftertaste." And they have a "robust cocoa quality," enthused a fan. Even uncooked, "they taste like brownies."

To buy: $1.79 for 12 ounces.

See More: The Best Chocolate Bars

Nestlé Chocolatier 53% Cacao Dark Chocolate MorselsBest Dark Chocolate Chips

Nestlé Chocolatier 53% Cacao Dark Chocolate Morsels

Antonis AchilleosCombat clutter with ordinary household items used in unexpected ways.

Use Jewelry Boxes
Those little boxes are so sturdy and trim that you hate to throw them out. So don't. Instead, clip them together to create tidy divided storage for pens and pencils, lipsticks, plastic flatware, whatever it is that clutters your drawer (maybe jewelry?).

See More: Make Over Your Junk Drawer



James BaigriUse Glass Jars
"Grandpa's wood-shop solution of attaching glass jars underneath a table or a shelf is tried-and-true," says Ted McCann, a Brooklyn-based custom woodworker. This trick works in the garage, the basement, and the craft room (or even possibly the home office, if you have an appropriate area): Nail or superglue the lids to the underside of a surface near where you store your tools, then twist the jars into place. Put like-size nuts and bolts in one jar, wood screws in another, nails in another. Also attach an empty jar so that when you're working on a project, you can gather the necessary hardware

RealSimple.comDo these 11 things this month and start 2012 off on the right financial foot.

Rebalance your portfolio. Making sure that your asset allocation is in line with your investment goals is an essential part of managing a portfolio. The beginning of the year is an opportune time to do it, and the process may take only a few minutes.

See More: Take Control of your Finances in an Hour

Track your spending. Whether you use a software program (such as Quicken) or pen and paper, you need to know where your money is going. Break your expenses down into categories--like utilities, insurance, entertainment, and clothing--to identify where you can scale back.

See More: Financial Help for Everyday Money Worries

Set short- and long-term financial goals. Whether you want to be debt-free in 10 years or own a house in five, you're more inclined to save if you have specific goals. So write them down and determine how much money you'll need to save each month to reach them.

See More: 7 Ways to Reach Your

Getty ImagesDon't let sky-high food-and-drink bills crash your party. These affordable strategies let you scrimp without looking like Scrooge.

By Yelena Moroz, Shivani Vora, Kaija Helmetag, and Brad Tuttle

Drinks
Skip: A full bar.

Opt for: A single, memorable cocktail. For example: a winter lemonade. Muddle ¼ cup fresh cranberries in 8 ounces of this traditional summer drink, then top it off with 2 ounces of vodka or whiskey and a splash of seltzer. Presto! An instant merrymaking hit.

See More: 10 Healthy Foods That Cost Under $1

Allison GooteeSkip: Champagne.

Opt for: Cava or Prosecco. These affordable bubblies are available for around $10 a bottle, says Allison Enke, a spokesperson for Whole Foods Market. Find one that was produced within the past two years. For roughly half of what you would pay for a vintage bottle, you'll get just as much fizzy flavor.

See More: 10 Festive Holiday Cocktails




Mikkel VangAppetizers
Skip: Fancy flat breads and spreads.

Opt for: Crostini. You'll save a few bucks if you buy a couple of

Formula Z/SNutritious morning meals you can eat while driving, walking, or sprinting out the door.

By Maureen Callahan

Fruit and Cheese
A balanced, easy-to-assemble make-ahead morning meal: Grab an apple, wrap 1 to 2 ounces of Cheddar in plastic, and toss ¼ cup of fiber- and protein-rich walnuts into a resealable plastic bag.

See More: 5 Ways to Save Time in the Morning


Formula Z/SPeanut Butter Waffle
Instead of dousing a whole-grain or bran toaster waffle in syrup, cut the sugar and boost the protein and fiber by spreading it with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. You can also sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of raisins, sesame seeds, or extra peanuts for even more fiber, which helps deliver the meal's nutrients slowly and steadily.

See More: Start With: Frozen Waffles





Formula Z/SPlain Doughnut With Chocolate Milk
A plain cake-style doughnut is usually a better choice than a bakery muffin. At Dunkin' Donuts, for instance, an old-fashioned doughnut has 280 calories, while a corn muffin has 510 calories. Add fiber by eating ¼

Mark LundMake any room seem larger with new colors and smart furniture and storage solutions.
By Michael Cannell

Go From Dark to Light
Make a cramped living room feel more spacious by lightening the walls (pictured, Benjamin Moore Lemon Drops). The color's brightness is accentuated by darkening the adjacent entryway (Benjamin Moore Bronze Tone).

See More: Color Combinations for Your Home



Mark LundLet the Light In
When curtain rods extend beyond the window frames, it allows in more light and draws the eye outward. "Windows are the eyes of the room," says Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, the author of Apartment Therapy (Bantam, $15, amazon.com). "When you cover them up, you make your place smaller."

See More: Your Guide to Curtains and Window Treatments

Center the Room
"People in small spaces often try to get the room they want by moving stuff to the edges," says Gillingham-Ryan. "But it kills warmth." To enliven the space, he suggested a sociable triangle consisting of a Chris Madden classic sofa, a Room &

Thomas LoofReal Simple brings some order to a cluttered kitchen.
By Nicole Sforza

Before
Wendy Odabashian (pictured here) found her old, 50s-style kitchen only about 50 percent functional-and often overtaken by clutter. Real Simple recast it as a calm cooking and command center, where family flow and food prep could live in peace.




See More: 24 Smart Organizing Tips for Your Kitchen



Thomas LoofAfter: Sleek Outside, Clever Inside
Spotless surfaces. With interior-cabinet space maximized, counters stay clear for cooking. A clean white refrigerator, free of photos and notices -- it holds only caddies for pens and paper -- opens up the room; it's like adding a window.

To buy: Memo center and cup, from $10, containerstore.com.

A stove that fits better. Wendy's old, 30-inch stove didn't fill the space (there was a five-inch gap on each side). This commercial-style model is wider and serves as a sparkling focal point. Under lower cabinets, aluminum toe kicks replace peeling wood baseboards; they match the stove,