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Try this refreshing Thanksgiving dinner menu: A West Coast-Inspired Thanksgiving Feast Grilled turkey breast Fall salad with nuts and pomegranates Cranberry lime relish Apple cranberry stuffing Roasted carrot and parsnip soup with lemon ginger cream Roasted asparagus with lemon Pumpkin roll cake Table Setting Tip Create a casual sitting atmosphere for this family-style meal by decorating your table in a theme inspired by nature. From sea shells to acorns and leaves, use your own backyard as a guide to the season’s decorative offerings....

Why spend time and money at a restaurant when you can make your very own artichoke spinach dip with your Instant Pot? Add your ingredients to the pot, and after five minutes at pressure, you’ll be plunging chips, bread bites, and vegetables into a rich and creamy dip in the comfort of your own home. MORE: The best guacamole recipes to try for Cinco de Mayo The Instant Pot, the cult-favorite programmable pressure cooker, has revolutionized home cooking by drastically reducing prep and cook time in the kitchen....

First, you’re forced to ask for time off using your hard-earned PTO. And when everyone flies on the same weekend, you might as well use your miles on a plane to Spain for the money you’ll spend trying to cram yourself onto an overbooked flight to Wisconsin. On top of all that, add in storms, delays and sleeping on couches or cots (we’ve all seen Planes Trains and Automobiles, and those aren’t pillows)....

Scalloped potatoes, step aside! These cheesy holiday potatoes, adapted from Tried and Tasty, are taking center stage as the most devoured side dish on the holiday dinner table. The holiday meal wouldn’t be complete without a carb-loaded comfort food dish of potatoes. Scalloped potatoes, with their thin slices of potatoes baked in a cream sauce, are rarely turned down, but they are served so often they tend not to inspire much excitement....

About 269 Very old sources tell us that there were several “Saint Valentines” who were executed on Feb. 14 during a time when Christians were frequently persecuted. Those early reports aren’t very clear, but in any case, the stories of these martyrs show that they were not known to be romantically inclined at all. ALSO TRY: Valentine’s Day traditions that have been loved and celebrated for centuries About 1380 Geoffrey Chaucer (scribe of The Canterbury Tales) wrote a poem called “The Parliament of Fowls,” which mentions a group of birds (on Valentine’s Day, of course) who are seeking mates....

I’ll admit, I was pretty skeptical of therapy apps but also curious, so I asked psychotherapist Tim Desmond to help me identify some of the best apps for teletherapy and for all-around mental health. Desmond, a longtime student of Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, teaches psychology at Antioch University, and he recently led a research project at Google focusing on just this type of peer counseling. He says these apps are, in effect, reducing the cost of a typical in-person therapy session by replacing it with text messaging that may, or may not, include live video or phone sessions....

From weighted eye blankets (yup, that’s a thing) to activewear and technology, these gifts offer a unique option the health-obsessed will truly appreciate this holiday season. Our editors & writers only recommend products that we think are awesome and you’ll love. We do occasionally use affiliate links, which means that we may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. For the hygge lover: The Nodpod Hygge is becoming a perennial buzzword in wellness circles....

Where it all began George Washington, one of our greatest Founding Fathers, and the first President of the United States, was born on February 22, 1732. The day we now know as Presidents Day was originally a celebration of George Washington’s birthday. George Washington is considered by many to be the father of the United States. He is on our currency, carved into South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore, and he has our nation’s capital named in his honor....

We’re the ultimate foodie family. For us, cooking is so much more than just food: It’s a bonding activity that comes straight from the heart. Baking bread until 2 a.m. with my grandpa, my aunt teaching me how to make the best matzah balls, Dad showing me how to grill the perfect steak… the list goes on and on. So finding the right cooking gift for my chef-of-a-father on Father’s Day is especially hard....

Candy is the quintessential Easter basket filling — but it’s not ideal. It doesn’t do little teeth and bodies any favors. Warm spring days make candy, especially chocolate, prone to melting. Dietary restrictions can mean that candy and chocolate are taboo — and candy loses some of its appeal as kids morph into teens. (We do have one idea here that features a sweet treat, but is so cute and easy-to-make, we wanted to add it....

Pumpkin pie cheesecake shooters A smooth and creamy pumpkin pie cheesecake mixes so well with a crunchy gingerbread crust in these Pumpkin pie cheesecake shooters from Sugar Spun Run. This is the best make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert—layer simple ingredients in disposable glasses and then toss them into the recycling bin when done. No muss, no fuss! Fluffernutter chocolate crunch parfaits These no-bake Fluffernutter chocolate crunch parfaits from The Kitchen Adventurer can be pre-assembled and stored in the fridge until guests are ready to indulge....

Simply put, emotional intelligence, or EQ, is “being able to recognize, understand and regulate your emotions and how you interact with others in life and at work,” life coach and business strategist Maureen Gharrity tells Grateful. That translates into the ability to work well with others, stay calm under pressure, resolve or avoid conflicts, have empathy and be trustworthy. Why is emotional intelligence so important? EQ is now considered one of the top 10 skills you’ll need to succeed at work, even more important than IQ, according to 71 percent of employers surveyed by CareerBuilder....

1. Cauliflower bacon gratin Cauliflower is having a moment. Already relished for its cancer-fighting punch of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, it’s been enjoying a recent upsurge in popularity, in no small part due to its versatility. You can puree it into a paste and form it into pizza crusts. You can serve it raw, steamed, or roasted and topped with balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese. Mashed and mixed with butter, salt and cream, it’s a delicious, fresh-tasting alternative to mashed potatoes....

Looking for a delicious new holiday dessert to impress your treat-loving guests? Put this holiday cheese tart with strawberry glaze, inspired by Casa Veneracion, on the table and your family and friends will beg for the recipe! This creamy, dreamy festive dessert is similar to a cheesecake with its luscious cream cheese filling and buttery graham cracker crust, but instead of fussing with a springform pan, you get to bake it as a tart....

Luckily, this butternut squash mac and cheese satisfies all of those needs in one delicious side dish recipe. This velvety dish of roasted butternut squash draped in a sage-infused Gruyére cheese sauce is so good that no one will give a second thought to pasta, whether or not they generally eat gluten. Our editors & writers only recommend products that we think are awesome and you’ll love. We do occasionally use affiliate links, which means that we may make a small commission at no additional cost to you....

It’s also kind of a time-consuming deal. Anyone who has ever cranked out a holiday meal and all its accoutrements knows that it isn’t for the faint of heart. Is it worth it? Yes. Is it a lot? Also yes. And if it’s your first time preparing a holiday dinner, get ready for an intense adventure. But don’t worry: If it goes comically awry, you have a story to tell at the holiday table for years to come....

Texas sheet cake Nothing says romance like this Texas sheet cake, inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s best chocolate sheet cake ever. This lip-licking moist Valentine’s Day cake boasts big cocoa flavor, a lovely tang from the buttermilk, lots of butter and a luscious chocolate frosting studded with chopped pecans. Best yet, you bake and frost this sigh-inducing cake in a single sheet pan — no precisely cut cake layers, no fussy fillings, no frosting skills required....

Tips for the best turkey gravy 1. Traditional gravy is best made right in the roasting pan after the bird is removed. This means you get every last bit of flavor from the pan, AND you’ve got one less pot to wash! 2. Don’t be shy when scraping up the bottom of the pan. You WANT all those brown bits. They’re luscious explosions of flavor! 3. For this reason, we recommend a metal whisk versus a rubber one!...

Don’t you love the look under the tree when all the wrapping paper matches? The loveliness and organization soothes the overstimulated, holiday-frazzled brain. Sometimes, though, a gift just needs a bag. (Have you ever tried to wrap a basketball?) Why not make a bag from the wrapping paper you’re already using? Your holiday display will look all the more cohesive, and will highlight the care you’ve taken in choosing and packaging the presents for their very special recipients....

When the weather outside is frightful, a sizable cup of cocoa is deliciously delightful! Want to drink something even better? Brew up a few belly-warming mugs of our dulce de leche hot chocolate, inspired by Bakersbeans, and you’ll be hoping for a long cold winter. Better than any overpriced coffee bar drink, this Latin-inspired hot chocolate delivers a mouthful of lusciously sweet caramel and cocoa flavors. Your tongue will tingle with the welcome surprise of warm spices....