Stir in fresh herbs One of the easiest ways to upgrade any dish is to add in fresh herbs. Chop up some leafy herbs like parsley, basil, mint, or whatever suits your flavor palette, and stir them in just before serving the rice. You can also use the same herbs as a garnish, or toast them in butter to drizzle over your ready-to-serve bowl of instant rice. Garnish with a crunch Add some texture to your instant rice by garnishing it with a crunchy element....

Many of these credit card perks go beyond the travel or cash-back rewards many cards tout. Sometimes they go hand-in-hand, but for the most part, you may have great credit card perks even if you don’t have a rewards credit card. The opposite is also true: That rewards credit card may be doubly worth the annual fee (if it has one at all) if it comes with extra perks. Picking a credit card requires considering all the financial details—the APR, annual fees, whether it uses deferred interest for an initial signing benefit—but if those factors seem acceptable and the card comes with great perks, that card might be worth signing up for....

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Buy It: Rachel Ray Nonstick Skillet ($28, Target) Test Kitchen Tip: You can easily swap the meat to make bacon-wrapped scallops. Buy It: OXO Good Grips Spiralizer ($48, Bed Bath & Beyond) Buy It: Magefsa Paella Pan ($33, Bed Bath & Beyond) Related Video

No matter what you’re celebrating, you’ll love our range of recipe offerings here. Craving the warming wallop of a hot toddy? Or maybe the tart, sophisticated tickle of a champagne cocktail? We’ve got you. These 23 holiday cocktails will keep the party going all winter long. If you’re looking for more great drinks to fill your glass, check out our apple cider cocktails, coffee cocktails, classic cocktails, and decadent hot chocolate upgrades (yum)....

Before you turn on the fan this summer, remove dust and debris using an old pillowcase. Spray the interior of the pillowcase with an all-purpose cleaner and slip it over one of the blades. As you wipe, grime gets trapped inside the pillowcase instead of falling on furniture or floors. After cleaning, reverse the direction of the blades, so the fan brings cold air downward instead of pushing warm air around the room....

Create your own silverware pouches with a 12-inch sheet of burlap: Editor’s Tip: Use what you have to achieve this look—snip the greenery from your Christmas tree or evergreen in your garden, and use leftover string from your gift-wrap stash. Buy It: Galvanized Napkin Ring With Gold Welting, ($3, Target) Buy It: 6 Pack Faux Succulent And Moss, ($4, World Market) Buy It: Velvet Ribbon, (from $2, Etsy) Buy It: Helena Blush Linen Napkin, ($7, Crate & Barrel) Editor’s Tip: Customize your Christmas napkin ring with seasonal flowers in shades of red and white....

Buy It: Pastry Piping Bag Set ($8, Walmart) Buy It: Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Casserole ($80, Walmart) Buy It: Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Oval Covered Casserole ($130, Williams Sonoma) Buy It: Pyrex Glass Casserole with Lid ($13, Target) Related Video

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Here are 24 free gift ideas to consider for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, or any other gift-giving occasion. Even if you aren’t particularly crafty, you can pull off something special and meaningful without spending very much. Heartfelt Free Gift Ideas These touching gift ideas will definitely be beloved by the people who love you the best. Write down some wonderful moments with them Remember that time? Make sure that they do, too....

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Test Kitchen Tip: Pour the leftover marble coating onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and top with your favorite sweet treats and/or salty snacks. (It’s also a great way to use up Halloween candy.) Test Kitchen Tip: Save time when making this fall apple dessert by turning to canned apple pie filling in place of the spiced apple mixture. Related Video

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Cleaning the toilet or tackling a big mess involving bodily fluids? Time to bring out a disinfecting spray. Just wiping down a kitchen counter? Use a sanitizer that’s formulated for your surface. Start by wiping away dust and crumbs before spritzing the surface, otherwise the debris will act as a barrier, preventing the spray from reaching the surface underneath. RELATED: 6 Common Disinfecting Myths That Are Sabotaging Your Cleaning Efforts...

That’s why it’s important not only to stretch your hips, but to do active hip exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and mobility. What’s the difference between a hip stretch and a hip exercise, and between hip flexibility versus mobility? A simple distinction: think passive versus active. “Hip flexibility is defined as length through range of motion while mobility points to more targeted strength and control of the muscle as it completes a movement pattern,” Corgel explains....

Get our Whole-House Cleaning Schedule The Simpliest New Cleaning Habits (Start Today!) Resolution 2: Clear Your Home of Dangerous Toxins Indoor air quality scientists say that the air you breathe inside your home can be more polluted than outdoors, especially if affected by cleaning products, air fresheners, potpourri, and perfumes. Commit to using homemade cleaners to keep your home dirt-free and safe. To banish household odors, create natural room scents, carpet powders, reed diffusers, and plug-in refills....

Alcohol wakes you up at night. While a drink or two at night can make you feel drowsy and prompt faster onset of asleep, going to bed with a buzz may lead to a worse night’s sleep overall. In one comprehensive study, scientists reviewed 20 different studies and concluded that, while sleep may come more easily after consuming alcohol, you’ll eventually wake up more easily and more often throughout the night or in the early hours of the morning....

But we’re here to make it easy. Even if you’re shopping for a stepdad or father-in-law (heck, even a grandfather), the right gift is out there. We’ve combed through the endless ties, novelty glasses, and sports paraphernalia to find useful, creative gifts for dad that will bring a smile to his face, no matter the occasion. Whether you’re shopping for a birthday gift, Christmas gift, Hanukkah gift, or a just-because present, you’ll find some gifting inspiration here....

Editor’s Tip: Keep the ladder, corn stalks, and pumpkins but replace letters and mice with pretty fall decor so this setting can greet guests when Thanksgiving rolls around. Editor’s Tip: Make the stacked candy corn displays! Simply remove the stems from three faux pumpkins, then drill holes in the bottom and top of two and the bottom of the third. Paint then slide onto a dowel set in floral foam....

To avoid costly errors and unsafe situations, there are several gutter-cleaning mistakes homeowners should take care to avoid. By following a few safety precautions and sticking to a regular cleaning schedule, keeping your gutters clean and free of debris is simple. Familiarize yourself with these common gutter-cleaning mistakes to ensure this maintenance task goes smoothly season after season. 1. You don’t clean your gutters often enough. One of the most common gutter maintenance mistakes homeowners make is simply not cleaning them as frequently as they should, according to Chris Counahan, president of LeafFilter Gutter Protection....