Now is the time to get crafty (and thrifty) for Thanksgiving. You'll save money if you DIY plus if you start now, you'll have time to get really creative (and mess up a few times). Here are 7 ideas for the perfect homemade Thanksgiving from Martha, the queen of the craft.
Related links:
Pumpkin party carving essentials
Read More »from Martha, Martha, Martha: DIY Thanksgiving tablesettings
To spare you from the Americanized Chinese food bloat, here are 10 favorites, fit for the heart and your favorite pair of skinny jeans.
Shrimp and spinach dumplings
Chinese poached chicken breasts with star anise
Lettuce wraps with spiced pork
Sweet and sour chicken with brown rice
Veggie fried rice
five-spice chicken and orange salad
Orange-scented beef stir-fry
Edamame lo mein
Szechuan shrimp
Fried tofu with black bean sauce
Related links:
Spa-friendly Mexican meals
Mama mia, pasta that doesn't make you fat
I've never considered myself a heavy coffee drinker, but when I didn't have time to grab my morning joe today and I was sleepy sally, I realized that I'm a slight addict.
Coffee raises blood pressure, induces stress. costs money and isn't something we actually need. Our bodies grow dependent on the caffeine and thus we develop an addiction where we think we need it to function, but once it's out of our system, we're better off without it.
Just think about all of the money and stress we would spare if we kicked coffee out of our lives. Could you ditch the beans and if you already have, do you have any suggestions for a soon-to-be ex coffee drinker who is already lamenting the loss of her morning brew?
Related links:
20 Ways to bust out of your pasta rut
Is green tea the answer to all of your problems?
Surprised by the foods that are topping the search charts this week? Here are some great picks to get you cooking what's hot this week on Y! buzz.
Eating Well's blue ribbon meatloaf
Food & Wine's lattice-topped apple pie
AllRecipes' old fashion apple crisp
browse more apple crisp recipes
(Rachael Ray's banana bread pudding is also one of my favorites)
browse more banana bread recipes
Eating Well's roasted chicken salad
browse more chicken salad recipes
Read More »from Top 5 food searches this weekIt's no secret that celebrities get hooked up at fancy restaurants. If Jennifer Aniston walks into Nobu on a Saturday night without a reservation she'll get the best table in the house, but what would happen if she struts into the Olive Garden when it was fully booked? Do celebrities still get the red carpet treatment at ordinary restaurants?
My fearless cousin went "undercover" to find out whether celebrities are treated like "a regular" or just like a regular person at chain restaurants. What does Planet Hollywood do when Martha Stewart wants extra batter on her chicken fingers? Does Sbarro hook up Mario Lopez simply because he starred in Saved by the Bell? Watch this and find out...
What you do now can save you tons of stress and money later. Here are 10 ways to stay mellow during the craziest time of the year.
make a list
If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, chances are you have a laundry list of errands running through your head, keeping you up at night. Make a list and keep it close by at all times so you can jot down things as you think of them. By setting your to-do's to paper now, you will save stress, money and time over the next few weeks. Advanced planning will help you to consolidate errands, compare prices and hunt for bargains.
check your cupboards
You may already have most of the ingredients that you need for Thanksgiving, like cumin and chicken broth, so hit your kitchen before you hit the store.
Buy booze
Alcohol is something you can and should purchase ahead of time, yet most people still manage to wait until the last minute only to find that their liquor store is closed on Thanksgiving. Whether you are a guest or a host, grab a few bottles
Is it just me or is this one of the weirdest commercials you've ever seen?
Heavy Metal Shepherd's Pie! Video
Extra credit if you can tell me what the dude is saying at the end. It sounds like somebody took a trip to the pub.
And if you're a fan of this English, leftover-friendly comfort food, here are some great recipes to try:
Easy shepherd's pie
Vegetarian shepherd's pie
Ground turkey shepherd's pie
Lamb and sweet potato shepherd's pie
Beef noodle shepherd's pie
Braised-lamb shank shepherd's pie
Organic shepherd's pie
Thanksgiving leftover shepherd's pie
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Fried chicken 8 ways
5 amazing bread puddings
I tried my first fancy slice of gourmet pizza when I was sixteen. I was visiting my hippie aunt who insisted on making every single thing from scratch, including her clothing. She had me over for homemade pizza and as I watched her carefully knead the dough, I remember wondering why on earth we couldn't just order in. After just one slice of her margarita pie however, I understood the love for gourmet pizza.
The gourmet pizza craze has gone bonkers over the years both in taste and price. Last night my friend ordered this simply mediocre 12 dollar margarita pie (pictured). The frightening fact is that to some gourmet pizza snobs 12 bucks is considered cheap. It's now common for some 12-inch pizzas to cost more than 20 bucks. What do you think of this hefty price tag for pie? How much would you spend on amazing pizza?
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83 bucks for a watermelon. Seriously.
Is it OK to BlackBerry at dinner?
Last night I had dinner with a self-proclaimed Doritos lover. He's such a fan that he's been researching recipes that call for his chip of choice in the ingredients.
When I asked about his most interesting Doritos find, he shared something with me that I will never forget....a video demonstrating how to make a Ramen Doritos tamale.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
How to make a Ramen Doritos Tamale
It's becoming more and more common to see two people eating dinner while one has a deep conversation with their BlackBerry.
Many feel that e-mailing during a social dinner is fine (what if an emergent work snafu arises or your aunt can't find the TV switcher?) while others wouldn't consider letting that puppy touch the table.
In my opinion, there's nothing Zen about a BlackBerry next to the salt and pepper. There will always be obligations or unreturned e-mail, but should that interrupt your precious dinner time? I don't think so.
What do you think? Is it OK to use your BlackBerry during dinner?
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Is it OK to make out at a restaurant?
He orders for you. Sexist or Romantic?
