The one seasoning blend I reach for every week is a mixture of my favorite dried herbs. A sprinkle of homemade Italian seasoning adds flavor to roasted potatoes, simmering marinara sauce, juicy roast chicken, and more. Thankfully, making your own Italian seasoning couldn’t be easier. Simply mix together a few dried herbs already in your…
14 Ways to Use Coffee Filters That Don’t Involve Coffee
It was a dumb mistake. I grabbed the biggest package of coffee filters—a pack of 1,000—only to discover much later that I’d picked up the wrong size for my coffeemaker. Coffee filters aren’t expensive, which is probably the reason I didn’t bother returning them to the store. I suppose I should have tried, but I…
Got Potatoes? Make Spud Bisque
Congee is a pan-Asian dish beloved wherever rice is grown. It goes by other names, and comes in many different flavors, but the core principle never changes. Cook the rice into a starchy cloud, flavored with the likes of ginger, chives, and hoisin sauce. Eat it when comfort food is called for. I live in…
A Recipe for Wanderlust: North African Lamb Stew With Figs and Chickpeas
It’s wanderlust time, and this year it’s a doozy. Thanks to the seasonal convergence of cabin fever, post-holiday decompression, and (elephant in the room) pent-up travel cravings, the urge to flee to a far-flung destination is all-consuming. Dreams of leaving the careful confines of our homes and the comfort of our fleece jammies (which we…
Winter To-Do List for Gardeners
The North American landscape is almost entirely dormant. Just because the landscape is dormant doesn’t mean gardeners have to be. Now is a good time to visit your local botanic garden’s greenhouse. It is warm and full of beautiful green plants. Many gardeners also love bird-feeding and birdwatching. Now is a good time to build…
Why the Current Flight to Small Towns May Save America
A friend of mine decided to shake the dust of the city off his feet last year and migrate to a more rural area. Reflecting on the move, he seemed surprised at how much he’s enjoying the change. My takeaway from our conversation was that his life was fresh and new now that he had…
Fast, Efficient Cleaning Hacks to Add to Your Bag of Tricks
Tuck these ideas into your bag of tricks and you’ll have your home spick-and-span in no time. Clean Your Cabinets With Your Vacuum Use your vacuum’s brush attachment to pick up dust and crumbs inside. Outside, concentrate on the area around the hardware using a cloth dampened with warm water and Murphy Oil Soap. Use…
Ponies, Oysters, and Birds on Chincoteague Island
Mention Chincoteague Island, Virginia, and you’re likely to be asked, “Isn’t that the place where those ponies are?” The answer is yes. The narrow spit of land and nearby Assateague Island became famous as home to a herd of wild ponies in 1947, when the popular children’s book “Misty of Chincoteague” was published. A 1961…
The Magna Grecia Estate Is the Epitome of Corfu Elegance
Corfu. Just the name evokes visions of paradise. Here, elegant villas line perfect beaches kissed by the aquamarine of the Ionian Sea. Island life in this part of Greece is graced by both epic beauty and ancient myth. Surrounded by such an ideal setting, the Magna Grecia estate, for sale via Sotheby’s Greece (price on…
Rough It in Style: The Fun of Glamping
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting isolation caused by air travel and hotel and resort disruptions have led many to look outdoors for a way to spend quality time with friends and family. As a result, camping has never been more popular in the United States, with the sales of RVs and camping gear soaring and…
-
Recent Posts
-
Archives
- May 2025
- April 2025
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- September 2013
- July 2013
- March 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- December 1
-
Meta