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Tips If your fruit separates from the liquid in the jars, invert the sealed jars once or twice a day. Continue inverting until fruit is well distributed. Chunky Strawberrry Jam: Prepare as directed except do not crush strawberries. Substitute 8 cups coarsely chopped berries for the 5 cups crushed berries. Makes about 9 cups (about 9 half-pints). Strawberry Banana Jam: Prepare as directed except decrease crushed strawberries to 4 cups and add 1 cup chopped banana to the strawberries after crushing....

To spruce up the rest of the room after completing the kennel, Jessi painted the walls, added a pink glass-tile backsplash, and built a pair of floating shelves. The walls are painted with Oyster Bay SW 6206 by Sherwin-Williams. What she describes as her easiest do-it-yourself project is also her most practical: The kennel is used daily for dog naps and bedtime, and to keep the pair secure when Jessi isn’t home....

When Pumpkins Are Ready to Harvest Pumpkins, like watermelon, strawberries, and grapes, ripen best attached to the vine. Once removed from the vine, the sugar content of the fruit will not increase, which makes harvest timing especially important for pumpkins you want to use for baking and cooking. While sugar content isn’t a factor in pumpkins used for front porch decor, the process of maturing on the vine does help pumpkins resist rot....

Cooking times for potatoes will vary based on the size of your potato pieces so keep an eye on them and check often with a fork. Use our timing guidelines to know how long to boil potatoes using any of three common appliances. How to Boil Russet Potatoes on the Stove The most common way to boil potatoes is on the stove in a pot of water. However, if you want more flavorful potatoes, consider boiling them in broth or a mixture of broth and water....

Mortar the ears (the flanges on the ends of a block) of the second block and push it against the first. To butter the ears, first set the block securely on one end. Take up a trowel-length of mortar from your mortarboard and butter the ears with a downward swiping motion of the trowel. Then press down on the mortar on the inside edge of the ear to keep it from falling off when you set the block....

Water pipes or electrical cables can often be moved without a great deal of difficulty, but check with a plumber or electrician first. Drainpipes and heating or air-conditioning ducts are more challenging to move; if one is in the way, you may have to relocate the doorway. Before building exterior door framing, you should also determine what sort of stairway you’ll need outside. By looking at an existing door’s bottom relative to the house’s siding, you can tell how high the stairway will need to be....

When choosing tile grout, it’s important to determine the right type for your project and select a shade that will complement your chosen tile. Use our guide below to learn more about tile grout colors and types and tips on determining how much grout you’ll need for a specific project. What Type of Tile Grout You Should Use Grout comes in two basic types: sanded and unsanded. Sand gives grout extra stability but can scratch the surface of more delicate tiles....

Laminate floors get their beautiful appearance from a photographic reproduction, which is layered inside protective plastic coatings on a supporting core of wood-based material. Although laminate floors look like hardwood, they cannot be refinished and are difficult to repair. If laminate gets worn down, it will have to be replaced, so it’s worth your time and effort to keep your laminate flooring clean and free from damaging grit and moisture....

How to Cook Brown Rice One cup uncooked long grain brown rice yields about 3 cups cooked rice. It can be eaten plain, used as a base for stir-fries, or as an ingredient in pilafs, soups, casseroles, salads, and desserts. Substitute cooked brown rice for white rice in most recipes. How to Cook Brown Rice on the Stove In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling....

Cooking a Ham in the Oven When it comes to learning how to bake ham there are only a couple of steps—prep the ham and bake it! It’s pretty low-fuss since most hams available at the grocery store are already cooked. Follow these instructions for tender, perfectly cooked ham. Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your ham Preheat the oven to 325°F. You don’t need to wash a ham before baking....

When selecting plants, keep them in scale with their surroundings. For instance, if a bed skirts a 4-foot-tall fence, add plants that will reach a little above the fenceposts. If you select plants that are nowhere near the height of the fence, the structure will seem more prominent and may even appear to cage in the plants. Once you’ve selected the tallest plant, stair-step the rest of the heights downward....

Bathroom Faucet Basics What You Need ScrewdriverReplacement rubber sealsO ringsSilicon grease Before You Begin A single-handle disk faucet is made with a pair of ceramic or plastic disks encased in a cylinder. The upper disk rotates when you turn the handle. Water flows when the inlets of the upper and lower disks line up. Should You Fix or Replace the Faucet? If parts are hard to find or expensive, or if the faucet is unattractive, you may be better off replacing the whole faucet rather than repairing it....

How Do I Get Rid of Slugs? The best bet in reducing slug numbers is to get rid of places they like to hide. They like damp, dark areas under boards, rocks, garden debris, and flowerpots. Any of these items work as lures. Check under them each day and get rid of any slugs you find. Repeat daily until the slugs are gone. Adding some decaying fruit underneath a board in a damp area will also draw in slugs so you can remove them....

1. Host a Festive Dinner Party Under String Lights Dreaming of long summer days of grilling out and dining together underneath strands of patio lights? You don’t have to wait for summer. Hang a few strands of string lights above your dining table to give your home a cozy, bohemian look. Then have some friends over for a cozy dinner party to alleviate the chill of winter. Light a few candles, whip up some casual cuisine, and serve it family-style beneath the warm glow of string lights....

2. Between Couch Cushions If you’ve ever enjoyed a bowl of popcorn on the couch, beware. Any stray kernels will probably end up covered in crumbs, hair, and dust, which all edge their way between cushions. Once a month, strip your couch and use an upholstery tool to vacuum the base and all cushions. 3. Car Trunk We keep our car seats fairly kempt, but when was the last time you thought to clean out your vehicle’s trunk?...

Test Kitchen Tip: For the best results, seek out a melon with a strong floral scent.

Although they emphasize simplicity and function, modern minimalist kitchens can also showcase unique style and personality through pops of color, unique stone surfaces, wood accents, aged metal finishes, and more.

1. You’re bringing pollutants into your home. Taking off shoes at the front door can reduce the allergens and germs tracked in. “Pollens are microscopic particles that get stuck in your eyes, nose, and hair, and on your clothing,” says Amy Shah, M.D., a board-certified allergist and immunologist and internal medicine physician in Phoenix. A pair of doormats—one outside and another right inside—will limit the number of outdoor allergens that make it beyond the threshold....

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