1. You wait until summer to check on your AC. Don’t wait until your air conditioner breaks down at the height of summer to start thinking about upkeep. A little preparation before temperatures soar can go a long way in preventing AC problems throughout the warm season. “Do as much as you can to prepare your AC now so that you can avoid costly repairs in the coming months due to lack of proper maintenance,” suggests Mark Dawson, chief operating officer at One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning....

That being said, true fans know that are margs are not created equal. Grocery and liquor store shelves are lined with packaged margarita mixes that make claims like “just add tequila!” But tequila and a splash of neon yellow sweetness does not a margarita make. The secret to a truly delicious margarita is using all the right (meaning fresh) ingredients in the right proportions. Translation: Don’t wing it! Instead, follow one of these flavor-packed, perfectly-balanced margarita recipes, and you’ll nail it every time....

1. Apple-Cherry Dump Cake Rather than choosing between cherry dump cake and apple dump cake, make them both at once. This slow cooker dessert will be popular with fruit fans thanks to chopped apples, dried cherries, and a pinch of apple pie spice. If you want to make your dump cake more indulgent, dress it up with a scoop of cherry or vanilla ice cream and add a cherry on top....

Between the rise of pastel decor and the latest “Barbiecore” trend, it makes sense that the bright shade would find its way into Halloween decorations. “We like to think of it as hot pink adding fun to a gothic mentality. Pink is in response to people wanting to inject a bit of playfulness, fun, and lightheartedness into something that could be considered a bit intense,” says Tara Dennis, co-founder and director of Archie Bolden....

“Mold growth typically occurs in out-of-sight wall cavities as a result of water damage from flooding or leaks,” explains Darren Hudema, director of training and technical services at PuroClean, which provides mold and water damage remediation services. “Before you know it, mold creates a toxic environment in your home, compromising the quality of the air you are breathing in every day.” But what causes mold? To thrive, grow, and multiply, mold requires four ingredients, Mike Powell, professional engineer, mold assessor, mold remediator, certified home inspector, and owner of Red Flag Home Inspection, says....

If you suspect that a child or pet has been poisoned by eating or touching a houseplant, call your doctor or veterinarian, go to an emergency room, or call the 24-hour National Capital Poison Center at 800-222-1222. Growing Conditions: Bright, indirect light to low light and allow soil to dry out to an inch below the surface between waterings. Size: Up to 5 feet tall Buy It: Costa Farms Dieffenbachia Plant ($40), The Home Depot) Growing Conditions: Bright to medium light and keep the soil consistently moist....

1. Benary’s Giant Florist and grower Christina Matthews always plants rows of Benary’s Giant on her urban flower farm in Cincinnati, Ohio, for her business, The Flower Lady. “I call them star flowers,” she says, “because they’re so bright and cheerful.” One of her favorites is Benary’s Salmon Rose, “a peachy, blushy, pinky” shade she uses for her floral work for weddings. 2. Oklahoma Zinnias Another bold zinnia series Matthews loves to grow is Oklahoma ($5, Johnny’s Selected Seeds)....

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Fueled by consumers’ interest to drink less alcohol or cut it out entirely, many brands have come out with alcohol-free spirits that look and taste just like the real deal. These zero-proof creations can be used to whip up mocktails, in conjunction with alcohol in order to cut back on a drink’s ABV, or, in many cases, enjoyed entirely on their own. For example, Ritual Zero Proof has a whole line of alcohol-free liquor replacements including gin, tequila, rum, and whiskey....

To buy: $16; amazon.com The best part, by far, is their nonslip nature: Each sock has three hidden silicone heel grips to help them stay in place as you move, and shoppers confirm they’re effective. “These are my favorite socks, and I will continue repurchasing. They don’t budge and are so comfortable,” shared one shopper. “I have been looking for low-cut cotton socks just like this for years! These are cool and soft, substantial but thin, and not at all bulky,” wrote another five-star reviewer....

3 pound crisp, sweet apples (such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Braeburn), peeled and cored 1 cup apple cider ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided ¾ cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Related Video

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As our top pick for deeply moisturizing hand cream, this ultra-rich lotion is effective on extra dry skin, proving you don’t need to spend a fortune to have great hands this winter. The multitasking and hypoallergenic cream locks in moisture, soothes irritated skin, and nourishes with natural antioxidants and fatty acids from sunflower seed oil, shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba butter, pumpkin seed oil, green tea extract, watermelon seed oil, and baobab oil....

How to Store Cooked Pasta You’ll have the most success storing leftover pasta if you keep the sauce and noodles separate. Keep that in mind before you mix sauce and pasta together, especially if you’re storing your leftovers in the freezer (because yes, you can freeze cooked pasta if you don’t think you’ll be eating it for several days or weeks). You’ll want to freeze the sauce separately as the pasta and sauce will require different times to thaw or reheat....

Feel free to experiment with different tools and methods to achieve the best effect. For example, if you find that small details, like this cat’s carved eyes, are difficult to create with a regular pumpkin-carving knife, try etching the area with a gouge and using a needle tool to punch through the pumpkin rind and clear out the space. If you don’t mind perfectly-circular eyes, you also could use a power drill fitted with a tiny bit to bore through the pumpkin wall....

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