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1 cup heavy cream 12 ounce milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, or bittersweet chocolate; chopped

Types of Daffodils Daffodils (Narcissus) are an antidote to the winter blues. Choose bulbs from all three blooming times: early, mid-season or late, and keep the daffodil show running for months in your garden. If you want the first possible flowers, try ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’, a classic yellow trumpet daffodil that blooms in January or February. The early, miniature, yellow ‘Tete a Tete’ deserves a starring location next to your front walk....

1. You haven’t updated your lighting. Dated light fixtures instantly reveal a room’s age. To refresh your lighting, shop vintage stores for an antique chandelier or pendant, paint your old fixture, or purchase something new. Ford notes that in most cases, you can replace an existing fixture yourself in about 10 minutes. “You can swap out a light really easily and now, all of a sudden, you love your room,” she says....

What Is Acorn Squash? Available year-round and at peak production from September through March, acorn squash is a sought-after vegetable that’s known for its nutty flavor. Plus, it’s filled with vitamins A and C, antioxidants, fiber, and potassium. Just like other winter squash such as butternut, delicata, buttercup, and spaghetti squash, it has a hard skin. But don’t let that hard skin scare you away—after you bake it, the skin will become soft and easily separate from the flesh, so there’s no need to worry about peeling it....

How to Braise Short Ribs To learn how to braise short ribs, we’re going to reference the BHG Test Kitchen’s recipe that features a classic braising technique: You brown the ribs, then cook the meat in a small amount of liquid that’s flavored with vegetables and herbs. As a bonus, the cooking liquid becomes a pan sauce with just a few extra touches. If you like, you can top the finished dish with a gremolata, a traditional citrus-herb topper, to add a jolt of contrasting freshness to the long-simmered meat....

If your home’s builder didn’t deem laundry room shelving important enough to make the punch list, you might find yourself looking for a custom solution. Worry not; we’ve got the perfect way to add shelving to your laundry room and give it the style and function boost it deserves. Choosing a Laundry Room Shelf Style Choosing the right shelf style for your laundry room comes down to the layout of the space....

One thing you’ll definitely want to do before carving: Protect your work surface. Whether you’re carving your jack-o-lanterns indoors or outside, you’ll want to put down some newspaper to keep the sticky pumpkin insides from getting everywhere. Doing the work on newspaper also makes it easier to roll the paper up with the pumpkin guts inside when you’re done. How to Clean Out a Pumpkin for Carving Supplies Needed PumpkinThin serrated knifeLarge metal scoopSmall knife...

Discover the best quinoa cooking options whether you’re in a hurry or have some time. How to Cook Quinoa 3 Ways No matter which strategy for cooking quinoa you choose, start by rinsing the quinoa. Place uncooked, dry quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse well under cool running water. Drain well and proceed via one of the three quinoa cooking options below. How to Cook Quinoa on the Stove Quinoa cooking on a stove top is a cinch once you know the ideal quinoa water ratio....

Stripping Fresh Herbs Thoroughly rinse fresh herbs under cool water. Blot dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner. Remove tiny leaves from herbs such as thyme by holding onto the stem with one hand and stripping the leaves into a bowl using the other hand. Snipping Fresh Herbs To cut larger clean and dry fresh herbs, place leaves in a measuring cup or bowl and snip them with kitchen scissors, using short, quick strokes....

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about navigating the market right now to get the best deal on your dream home or make a successful sale. 1. Weigh supply and demand. The market is on track to become more balanced—but there’s still a high demand and low supply. We’re currently in uncharted territory when it comes to the housing market, an uncertainty that goes back to the Great Recession of 2008, when the building industry was negatively impacted, says Chris Masiello, CEO and president of BHG Real Estate the Masiello Group....

Also, when perennials are overgrown and crowded, they often won’t bloom as much, so dividing will help reinvigorate the flower show. However, not all types of perennials appreciate being divided. Here’s what you need to know for success. When to Divide Your Perennials While you can divide most perennials any time from spring to fall, those two seasons are best. Dividing can be stressful on the plants—and they’ll recover better from the shock in cool, moist conditions....

Mistake No. 2: Picking the wrong pot There are an almost unlimited selection of pots and containers to choose from. However, you should avoid any without drainage holes in the bottom so excess moisture won’t build up in the soil. Also, remember that clay pots are a natural material that breathes, so they will dry out faster than ceramic or plastic pots. Use clay pots for plants that don’t mind life on the dry side, such as succulents or cactus....

Test Garden Tip: Many plants that have gray or silver foliage have excellent drought tolerance. These include the santolina, lamb’s ear, lavender, and Russian sage growing in this garden. Test Garden Tip: When plants need watering, do so early in the morning or late in the day to reduce water loss from evaporation. Test Garden Tip: Confine plants that require more moisture to containers so you can target a smaller space for any extra watering instead of having to water your entire garden....

Growing Conditions: Part shade in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 8 feet wide Zones: 3-9 Growing Conditions: Full sun to shade in well-drained soil Size: Up to 12 inches tall Zones: 2-8 Growing Conditions: Part shade to full shade in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3-9 Growing Conditions: Part shade to full shade in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3-9 Growing Conditions: Part shade to full shade in well-drained soil Size: Dependent on variety (Japanese painted fern can grow up to 3 feet tall) Zones: Dependent on variety (Japanese painted fern is hardy in Zones 4-9) Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil Size: Under 6 inches tall Zones: 4-10 Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 3-8 Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in dry, well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3-10 Growing Conditions: Part shade to full shade in well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 4-9 Growing Conditions: Part shade to full shade in well-drained soil rich in organic matter....

Buy It: Hamilton Beach Food Processor ($59, Target) Buy It: Le Creuset Iron Handle Skillet ($239, Bed Bath & Beyond) Buy It: Ninja Professional 1000-Watt Blender ($79, Walmart) Buy It: Pizza Baking Stone ($14, Target)

While Knope and her lady friends typically celebrate brunch-style, we’ll be planning all the virtual and at-home events this year to comply with social distancing guidelines. We’ve thought of some fun Galentine’s Day alternatives to help you celebrate your best gals safely. Whether you’re looking to binge-watch trashy TV shows at a virtual movie night or host a virtual game night, use these ideas to inspire your own Galentine’s Day celebrations....

Buy It: Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker ($185, Walmart)

Paint colors pictured: Palatial Skies 800, Benjamin Moore Regale Blue SW6801, Sherwin-Williams Roadster Blue 4006-68, Valspar Afton Blue 70BG 68/163, PPG Yacht Blue S490-4, Behr This livable hue can underscore the palette of a whole house. “Maybe it’s the walls in your living room and the ceiling in your bedroom, a table in the den, and china in the dining room,” Penney says. Paint colors pictured: Arctic Blue GLB14, Glidden The Good Life B38-3, Ace Hardware (discontinued) Serene Sky 540C-2, Behr Sea Breath 5006-7A, Valspar Quench Blue SW6785, Sherwin-Williams...

Two beloved comfort foods—mac and cheese and chili—combine in one ultra-easy and cheap slow cooker recipe. Take a mere 15 minutes of prep time to brown the beef and toss the sauce together in your slow cooker to allow it to stew all day. Half an hour before dinner, add some leftover pasta (or a cup you just cooked) plus plenty of cheese to really bring the decadance. The corn chip topping you see here is optional—but highly recommended and definitely within budget....