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Balsam Care Must-Knows Easy-to-grow balsam prefers rich, organic, well-drained soil kept evenly moist at all times. It quickly bounces back from wilting, but will succumb to leaf burn if it wilts too often. For the best results when growing balsam in a container, plant it in a moisture-retentive general-purpose potting mix. Keep the soil evenly moist but not saturated (the saucer should never hold standing water), or roots may rot. Much like other types of impatiens, balsam can handle a variety of sun exposures....

Personality: The Artist Your paintbrush is a piping bag, and your canvas an undecorated cookie. You have an entire pantry space dedicated to sprinkles and decorative candies, and your Instagram feed overflows with decorating tricks to try. We hope these clever almond and cocoa-mascarpone Santas get your creative juices flowing. Though you likely have every cookie cutter shape and size under the sun, these jolly Santas are crafted from basic cookie cutter shapes most everyone has on hand....

½ cup softened butter 6 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoon creme de menthe* (or 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon mint extract and several drops green food coloring) 4 tablespoon milk Layer cookie wedges between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Chicago-Style Prepare as directed, except use poppy seed buns. Top with yellow mustard, chopped white onion, sweet pickle relish, sliced pickled jalapeño peppers, and sliced tomato. Sprinkle with celery salt. Nutrition analysis per serving: 279 calories, 10 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate, 14 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 4 g total sugar, 4% Vitamin A, 12% Vitamin C, 917 mg sodium, 9% calcium, 13% ironExchanges: 1....

Vinaigrette: Nutrition analysis per serving: 121 calories, 0 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 7 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 10 g total sugar,. 12% Vitamin A, 9% Vitamin C, 205 mg sodium, 1% calcium, 3% iron Chile Pepper Tip Chile peppers contain oils that can irritate your skin and eyes. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them.

1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (4-1/4 cups) 3 tablespoon meringue powder ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup warm water 1 teaspoon vanilla **Tip: Meringue powder is a mixture of pasteurized dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gums. Look for it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or at a specialty food store.

½ cup finely chopped onion (1 medium) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil ¾ cup bottled chili sauce ½ cup pomegranate juice ¼ cup honey 1 tablespoon white or regular balsamic vinegar ½ teaspoon dry mustard ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Apricot-Mustard Glaze 1 cup apricot preserves 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon Chinese-style hot mustard 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger Cranberry-Orange Glaze...

1 medium English cucumber, trimmed 6 Greek pita flatbreads ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt 1 recipe Watermelon-Feta Salad Watermelon-Feta Salad 1 cup chopped seedless watermelon ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce) 2 tablespoon finely chopped red onion 1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon olive oil

3 large egg yolks ¼ cup milk 2 teaspoon honey 1 1 pound box confectioners sugar ½ teaspoon lemon extract

When Kevin and his husband, Layne Bennett, moved into the 1912 home eight years ago, the front yard was basically barren. Kevin, who missed the palm trees of his former home in Florida, tracked down a variety that could survive Northeast winters (with some cold-weather protection). He didn’t want them to be a novelty, but rather an integral part of a tapestry that includes azaleas, geraniums, and more. It’s a diverse but intentional mix....