DIY Life

There are two kinds of Thanksgiving chefs: those who stuff and those who... well, don't stuff. To get down to the bottom of stuffing, dressing and everything-related, our friends at Holidash have a few helpful tips:

If you follow cooking shows through the holiday season, you've probably heard that it's bad, bad, bad to stuff a bird -- especially if you've talked to Alton Brown. Adding a good pile of stuffing lengthens a turkey's cooking time and increases the possibility of having a dry and overcooked meal. But ... but stuffing tastes so good.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to follow the advice of the professionals without losing the flavor many of us have grown to love. In the above link, Alton suggests tossing the stuffing in the turkey drippings post-roast, and letting it sit in the turkey while it rests. But there's an easier way, especially if you want your stuffing flavorful and crisp, rather than just juicy.

Wine bottle gift wrap made easy and beautiful. This visual confection of tissue and cellophane wrap is finished off with a key fob (pictured) for decorative flair. So pretty. – All Things G&D

These cookie exchange party invitations are simply inspired. Vintage-style tags are tied to sweet mini cookie spatulas. – Brooklyn Limestone

In a similar holiday vein, tiny muslin baggies make perfect containers for homemade hot cocoa mix. Ideal for gifts or party favors. Decorate the bags with fabric transfers ... or just tie-on labels. – Cathie Filian

So -- you're craving a ham sandwich but notice your bread is going a bit stale. Don't worry --- it's not bird food quite yet; you still have time to save it! Place a stick of fresh celery in the bag and store the bread for a few hours. Next time you pull it out, you'll notice the bread is fresher than before, and your celery hasn't changed a bit! Add some peanut butter and you've got yourself a fresh, non-stale meal (but don't tell the birds we told you!).

And since we're talking bread, did you see Monday's video tutorial on How to Make a French Baguette? So easy, yet so scrumptious. Luckily, our stale bread hack works equally well for any sort of bread, so if you happen to make a fresh baguette and haven't had time to devour it, you know what to do!

Proof that celery can work wonders both for your diet and your starch!

Hosting the holidays, but have an unsightly burn on your carpet? No worries -- Kelly Edwards is here to show you how easy it is to fix a carpet burn with just a few simple tools and the easy tips from this video:



1. Trim away the burned fibers using scissors or a sharp blade.
2. Scrape a razor blade across the clean part of the carpet to loosen some fibers.
3. Gather the loosened fibers.
4. Fill the burn hole with super glue.
5. Using tweezers, push the carpet fibers into the glue until the hole is filled. Allow glue to dry completely.
6. Brush away the excess fibers and fluff up the glued fibers to match the rest of the carpet.

Done and done! Now you can host your family gathering burn-free, and no one will even notice you had an unsightly burn in the first place. Thanks, Kelly!

Hammer nails without flattening your thumb. Yes, it can be done ... if you master the right technique. A gentle tap, tap, tapping is the secret. Here's how to hammer correctly and painlessly:

1. Grip it right. Hold the hammer near the middle of the handle to start a nail. This gives extra precision that will (hopefully!) protect your fingers.

2. Tap gently, swinging from the wrist. This gets the nail started in a hole. Remove your hand from the nail.

3. Swing firmly from the elbow. This will drive the nail into the hole.

Still banging your fingers ... or missing the mark completely? Frustrating! But here are a couple of tricks to try:

Who, me? Yes. I'll admit it -- I'm a cookie monster and am seeking help. I like to keep our cookie jar stocked and fresh, and although there usually isn't much of a chance for stale cookies in our home, it does happen time and again. Turns out my grandma has a secret trick for keeping cookies fresh longer --- a wad of tissue paper!

Simply wad up the tissue paper and place it at the bottom of the cookie jar, then pile the cookie goodness on top! We both have no idea why it works, but can vouch for the fact that it does!

And of course, you'll need a yummy recipe to try out our tip, won't you? Try these peanut butter butterscotch cookies from Cooks.com; they are simply delicious!:

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup Nestles Butterscotch morsels
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Enjoy!

In case you missed the hit movie Julie and Julia this year, you still have time to brush up on your cooking knowledge! Holidash has a Julia Child-inspired Thanksgiving for all of your aspiring chefs! Check it out!:

* Roast Turkey: Most of her technique is pretty classic, but she does add a twist with a slow-simmered giblet gravy.
* Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Regular mashed taters are fine, but Julia knew long ago that a little garlic would make them divine.
* Stuffed Pumpkin: Rather than stuffing your turkey, you could stuff and roast a nice, orange pumpkin.
* Dressing: Julia preferred to keep the dressing out of the turkey, so pull out a casserole dish for this one -- or the pumpkin above.
* Brussels Sprouts Browned with Cheese: A so-called favorite of Julia & Julia star Amy Adams.
* Apple Tart: When the meal is good and done, wrap it up with a classic apple tart.

And don't forget -- no Child feast is complete without some strong libations to wash it all down!

Enjoy!

The Thanksgiving feast: It's more of an ordeal than a celebration in some families. Ugly family tensions rearing their heads like clockwork each year. Maybe you have a self-appointed family dictator like Marney of the hilarious "Thanksgiving Letter" fame who sucks the fun out of every get-together?

If you're dreading another unpleasant Thanksgiving dinner, why not try some of the following tension taming tips. Who knows? Perhaps you'll become the family peacemaker this year!

1. Have a seating plan. The atmosphere will be oh-so-much improved if you can match like-minded family members at the table. Here's how to do it without sounding like a bossy boots: have the kids make and decorate cute place name cards. If you emphasize it was the kids' contribution to the big day, you'll boost the odds that everyone will obediently sit where you would like.