Why Meringue Pies Weep As it turns out, undercooking and overcooking can both cause weeping meringue and unwanted moisture on top of your pie (aka beading). Overcooking meringue causes those little sugary drops of moisture on top of baked meringues. It is difficult to prevent this, as most recipes now bake longer at lower temperatures to cook the egg whites enough to eliminate any risk of salmonella. Our Test Kitchen recommends following the recipe, beating, and baking as written....

Spices come from the seeds, bark, roots, fruit, or stems of a variety of plants and trees, and dried herbs are dehydrated versions of a plant’s leaves. In culinary uses, any of the above can help enhance both sweet and savory dishes. For a refresher on all things fresh, check out our complete fresh herb storage and life-extending guide here. Then read on for everything you need to know about selecting, storing, and organizing spices and dry herbs....

Bra size is notoriously fickle between different lingerie brands; a C-cup at one store can easily be a D-cup at another, and some bra sizes can grow and shrink (especially in band size) over the course of a day or between washings. The best option is to know your bra size by taking bust measurements using these simple measuring instructions, which will ensure a perfect fit in band and in cup—and can even help you find the right amount of support....

Broken panes, shattered glass, and other tricky window concerns are likely tasks for the professionals, but when it comes to old windows being stuck, chances are it’s something you can tackle on your own. Here, Hardy shares all the details on how to fix a stuck window, starting with what can cause this household concern in the first place. What Causes a Window to Stick “By nature, paint is sticky so it [clings to] the painted surface,” says Hardy....

She suggests keeping anything that requires action in your mail spot (like an invitation that requires an RSVP, bills that are due, or coupons with an upcoming expiration date). Paperwork that doesn’t require immediate action can be placed in a separate category—or categories—to be processed at a later date, whether that’s filing, scanning, or shredding. She also suggests considering a portable system, like a decorative tray or a rolling cart you can easily move from your designated mail spot to wherever you pay bills or file paperwork....

What Is Salt? Salt is a crystalline compound called sodium chloride that is most commonly used to preserve and season food—but there are many types of salt that all render a distinct texture, taste, and purpose for your cooking needs. The differences between a salt’s color, shape, and taste are attributed to the location the salt is mined and how it is harvested. For example, Himalayan salt comes from the Himalayan Mountains and gets its appealing pink color from the minerals (like magnesium, iron oxide, potassium, and calcium)....

Newer-model showerheads provide more options for control, including multiple spray styles, pivoting angles, and temperature settings. They’re also more efficient, using less water with equal cleaning success. Learn how to replace a showerhead so you can achieve a spa-worthy bathing experience in the comfort of your home. How to Replace a Showerhead Supplies Needed PliersWrenchClean, soft clothPlumber’s tapeShower armFlange (often comes with shower arm)Showerhead Step-by-Step Directions These five steps will make it a smooth transition, whether you’re simply switching showerheads or getting a new shower arm....

Many people aspire to one day be homeowners but aren’t sure how to make it a reality. The home buying checklist is a long one, and coming up with the money for a down payment on a house—the initial deposit you make on your property—is no small effort. It’s dependent on a landslide of factors—mainly your income, debt, and responsibilities. Experts agree it’s possible to save for a house in one year....

How to Tell if Cheesecake Is Done While you might think the toothpick test is a good idea to test cheesecake for doneness, think again. Using a knife or toothpick to test a cheesecake may create a crack in the top. This method does not give an accurate test for cheesecakes made with a large amount of sour cream, as you wouldn’t get a clean result at the tip of the knife....

Step 2: Cut batting. Measure the entire width of the headboard, including the outer edges of each post (the batting will go around the posts, too). Next, measure the height of the headboard; double it. Cut a swath of polyester quilt batting (buy it at fabrics stores) to these dimensions. Step 3: Drape fabric. Drape batting over tension rod and posts, allowing it to fall evenly over the back side of the headboard....

A paint sprayer, as the name implies, sprays paint onto a surface with the use of a trigger on the device. This tool helps shorten a project’s timeline and improves the paint finish quality. However, a paint sprayer generally uses about 33% more paint than a roller, so make sure to plan ahead when buying paint. Take a look at this helpful guide to learn how to use a paint sprayer....

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Luckily, when creating the open living room and kitchen in the 2021 Real Simple Home, we had the help of two professional designers: Delia Kenza focused on the kitchen and Natalie Papier planned the living room. Here are their top tips for making an open layout floor plan work. Keep scale in mind. “If you decide to have an open floor plan, make sure you consider scale,” says Kenza. “You don’t want the kitchen to overpower the rest of the space....

Use a sun-shape cutter to cut the centers out of sliced bread. Crack, pour, and sizzle fresh eggs in their centers. Top with tomatoes, cheese, and other good stuff! Related Video

True to Chihuahuas’ short stature, this stencil fits short, wide pumpkins best; it even prints out in landscape to better accommodate those glorious ears! But if your pumpkin is tall and skinny, reduce the pattern size with a photocopier to fit. To carve: Start with a pumpkin that’s been hollowed out from the bottom. Select the side you’re planning to carve, and scrape the interior pumpkin wall thinnest on that side....

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About 10 years ago, I was visiting a chef friend in Israel. She made a version of this tahini sauce for my toddler son, drizzled over cucumbers and radishes and served in a bowl. Liam was an adventurous eater, and I knew he liked cucumbers, but I figured he would ignore the radishes. But Liam finished the bowl—every last cucumber and radish—and asked for more! I credit it all to that sauce....

A mild yet highly effective solution is the use of micelle-infused products to help lift away those impurities. Dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohar previously told Real Simple, “Micelles surround dirt particles and break them down—they can clean the skin without drying it out, so there’s no barrier-stripping soap needed.” That’s why shoppers have turned to Rose Inc’s Micellar Makeup Remover. The marine complex provides anti-pollution benefits while brightening rice ferment, strengthening ceramides, and hydrating squalane support the skin’s microbiome, according to the brand....

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