How to Boil an Egg For such an easy cooking venture, there are way too many options and opinions out there on the best way to boil an egg. Keep it simple and follow this straightforward method whether you’re after a hard-boiled, medium, or soft-boiled egg. The technique I learned in culinary school, and have since stuck to and used in test kitchens, is cooking the eggs in boiling water. That means, bringing a pot of water to a boil on the stovetop, lowering the eggs very carefully into the boiling water, and starting the timer from that very moment....

How long does a turkey take to thaw? That depends on its size and thawing method. If it’s early in the week and there’s no rush, thaw your turkey in the refrigerator. One the other hand, if you need to defrost a fully frozen turkey fast, use the cold water method or a microwave. For a quick answer, use our simple chart chart to determine how long to thaw your turkey, even if you’re in a time crunch....

Installing an in-ground pool—the kind of permanent structure you can enjoy for years to come—can take months and cost tens of thousands of dollars. According to HomeAdvisor, the average in-ground pool cost is almost $50,000, and larger pools or pools with special features can have even higher price tags. As with any costly home upgrade, you’ll want to make sure adding a pool will pay you back in more than just summer memories....

This step-by-step guide features a budget friendly DIY with dollar-store plates. Each plate will have a unique look by creating an organic geometric pattern. However, you can repeat the technique on most items. However, note that gold leaf is not food safe. Any plates you DIY shouldn’t be eaten off of, but used solely as a decorative item. How to Apply Gold Leaf Use our step-by-step guide to decorate your DIY projects with gold leaf....

“A dirty mattress can be a hub of bacteria, as mattresses can accumulate dust mites, bacteria, mold, dead skin, dirt, and different allergens over time,” notes Kathy Cohoon, a cleaning professional at Two Maids and a Mop. Michael Rubino, a cleaning expert and founder of HomeCleanse, adds that keeping your mattress clean not only improves your well-being and sleep quality, but it can even improve the lifespan of the mattress and promote better indoor air quality....

Use our tips to learn how long to boil crab legs, so they’re cooked to perfection and sure to impress. Because they’re almost always precooked, boiling crab legs is a cinch for your next fancy dinner. All you need to do is serve them with melted butter (always, butter!). How to Boil Crab Legs Thawing crab legs is the first step when there aren’t fresh crab legs available (yay for you if you can get them fresh!...

How to Slice Flank Steak Whether you’re slicing flank steak before cooking to quickly stir-fry or have finished making a smoky grilled flank steak recipe, you’ll be cutting flank steak the same way. To cut across the grain look at the whole flank steak to determine which direction the muscle fibers are running, then line up your knife perpendicularly (you’ll be cutting through the fibers not parallel to them) to that and slice....

Alder, willow, cottonwood, apple, pear, peach, pecan, walnut, elm, and maples are most susceptible to fall webworms, but these pests are known to make their nests in more than 90 different species. And don’t be fooled by their name. Fall webworms often start spinning webs and eating foliage in June. These summer infestations are smaller than the extensive colonies that form in late summer and fall. So if you begin dealing with fall webworms in summer when you first notice them, you’ll avoid a more significant infestation in fall....

When crafted out of paper mache—the classic process of dipping newsprint into a glue-like mixture of flour and water—homemade pumpkins can be summoned from storage and used as decorations year after year. To set these handmade masterpieces apart from the common pumpkin-patch variety, we decoupaged ours with paper napkins in iconic patterns. (You can also use no-carve pumpkin ideas on your decorative pumpkins.) When topped off with a twisted craft paper stem and a couple of gilded crepe paper leaves, these paper pumpkins start to come alive....

How to Make New Year’s Poppers We’ll show you how to create your own confetti poppers using upcycled toilet paper tubes. Customize your poppers with sequins, metallic confetti, or glitter for a little extra sparkle. What You Need Extra-fine crepe paper or tissue paperSequins (optional)Toilet paper tubesCracker snaps Ribbon Adhesive dots Scissors Step 1: Prep Materials If desired, make your own confetti by cutting some of your crepe paper into tiny squares....

Your meatball can get better, even if it’s already very good. And if you’re afraid to mess with a good thing, know that there are ways to upgrade meatballs without altering your recipe. On the other hand, other upgrades do probably require a change. These pointers fall into both groups, all of them roads to a better meatball. For meatball recipe inspiration, find our collection of delicious ideas here....

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the gig economy, with freelance and gig marketplaces like Gigsmart and Upwork both reporting increases in their users. Some projections show freelance workers will account for half the U.S. workforce by 2023. In January of 2021, Statista published results from a survey conducted in 2018 showing 27 percent of full-time gig workers had no money saved for retirement. While the flexibility and autonomy of self-employment can be appealing to many, the lack of employer-sponsored 401Ks, fluctuating incomes, and insufficient financial guidance can make long-term financial planning difficult and daunting....

What are figs? The common edible fig belongs to the genus Ficus, which includes hundreds of species throughout the world, with most originating in the tropics like popular fiddle leaf fig houseplants. Common figs, however, are native to the Mediterranean and Western Asia, where they have been grown for their sweet fruits for thousands of years. Coming from more temperate climates, deciduous common figs can grow much further north than their tropical cousins and thrive in USDA Zones 7-10....

So what do you do if your weed trimmer comes without string or you’ve run out of string during a job? How exactly do you restring it? Just follow these simple steps to get back to whipping your yard into shape. Step 1: Remove Existing Spool Whether you’re starting with a pre-strung spool or you’re going to restring your existing spool, you will first need to remove it from the motor housing....

Garden Pests That Eat Hostas Before you declare war on slugs, confirm they’re the ones making holes in your hosta leaves. Besides hail, cutworms could also be the culprits; their signature is chewing the soft parts of the leaves and avoiding the veins. Slugs will munch anywhere on the leaves, right through the veins. Deer and rabbits will eat hostas, too, but they don’t leave holes behind. Instead, you’ll likely see bare stems with maybe a ragged piece of leaf left behind....

When it comes to the proper storage and disposal of sunscreen, you really don’t want to mess around—expired or spoiled sunscreen can cause major damage to your skin and, considering skin cancer is the most diagnosed form of cancer in the country, it’s important to use sunscreen responsibly. We tapped two experts for advice on how to properly store sunscreen for the season and dispose of expired products. Spoiler: The sunscreen in your bathroom drawer you bought five years ago probably won’t protect you this year....

The fact is, you can transform this space usually used to store cars and household items into a stylish, (semi) outdoor spot to hang out. Tavolino recommends using a Polyaspartic floor coating. The look is similar to epoxy but it has better abrasion, so you won’t see the tire skid marks. Plus, it can be installed in hot or cold weather. The best part? Liquids wipe up very easily, so you can get rid of any car fluids that leak out before your gathering, or soak up any beverages before you park your car....

How to Quick-Clean a Shower Curtain Liner with a Magic Eraser A couple of months ago, I was preparing for a surprise out-of-town guest (and putting these speed cleaning routines to good use), when it suddenly dawned on me that my shower was a disaster. For most last-minute cleanings, the shower is an easy fix: close the shower curtain and keep your fingers crossed that curious guests don’t take a peek inside....

While using all-purpose flour is convenient and economical, pizza purists (and this recipe) recommend using double-zero or Tipo 00 flour, “an Italian-made wheat flour that is intended for use in making traditional pizzas or pastas,” explains Ben, the founder of Na Pizza. “The term double zero specifies that this type of flour is the most refined, and the finest flour. This is because Italian flours are scaled from 2, 1, 0 and 00....

In rooms where a standard hinged door might take up too much space, sliding barn doors can make the most of the space available while introducing a splash of color or character. (And they’re so much more dignified than rickety accordion or bifold doors.) Think of them as built-in multitaskers—they can help a room feel more open (or separate) and introduce a new décor feature at the same time. Plus, they can go nearly anywhere: bathrooms, kitchens, closets, laundry rooms, bedrooms, and more....