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No longer. Why? Because with a couple of easy hacks, you can soften a block of refrigerated cream cheese in as little as 15 minutes, thanks to its high fat content. That’s as much time as it takes to set out your mise en place and assemble the rest of your ingredients, meaning your cream cheese will be ready when you are. This time frame is important, as the period that cream cheese can safely sit out on the counter (or in environments over 40° F) is limited to two hours, max, and less than one hour at 90° F....

How to Store Whole Carrots Trim off the carrot greens, and either discard them or save them for something else, like pesto. If you leave the greens on the carrots, they will draw moisture and cause the roots to rot more quickly. Avoid washing whole, unpeeled carrots until right before you plan to eat or cook with them; by keeping them dry, they will stay good for a longer period of time....

The good news? We have some easy tips and tricks to extend the life of your favorite wines, starting with knowing why wine goes bad in the first place. Wine requires a delicate balance of oxygen exposure, which is crucial in the fermenting process. Once opened, oxygen can boost the flavors and aromas of a wine, but too much exposure will turn your wine into vinegar. (This process is how we make red and white wine vinegar....

Having a heightened sense of taste isn’t always a joyride for your taste buds, though. Supertasters—it’s a real thing!—may inadvertently limit their diets to avoid things they’re averse to, and many find it difficult to include a wide variety of foods in their overall diet—something that’s essential for getting a spectrum of nutrients and supporting a diverse gut microbiome. What exactly is a supertaster, and how common is it? “A supertaster is going to experience the flavors and aromas of any given food or meal more intensely,” explains Jenna Volpe, RDN, L....

“An eyelash curler takes your makeup look to the next level,” says Dema Jaber, makeup artist and founder of Lash Star Beauty. “Using an eyelash curler helps elongate the lashes and points them up rather than straight out, making them appear much longer giving you a more open eye look and long full lashes.” Ready to add this little handy gadget to your regimen? Since using one for the first time can feel…intimidating, we’re offering a step-by-step makeup tutorial to using an eyelash curler....

My chicken skin, an “affectionate” nickname for the KP, has been the bane of my existence since I first became aware of my body during puberty. Following the discovery, I spent my adulthood shying away from tank tops and anything else that would accentuate the congested pores, roughness, and red bumps spread across my appendages. F.A.B’s products are formulated with the most sensitive skin in mind, and thus have literally never done me dirty....

After learning how surprised people were that bacon could be cooked in water, I decided to take it one step further and try some other outside-the-box bacon cooking techniques. The three methods I chose are cooking bacon in the oven (a fan favorite), cooking bacon in the microwave, and cooking bacon in a waffle iron (the wildcard). I used the same brand of bacon for each, and brought in a tester who didn’t know which was which to help me select the winner....

I’ve been dealing with annoying little hairs for the better half of my life, and I’ve been open-minded to trying different forms of hair removal, shaving, and various hair removal products. When I was thirteen, I used to save up my allowance to get my lip waxed every month. By the time I was in college, I noticed a straggling black hair had emerged from my chin, which led me to try electrolysis....

Here’s the good news: “Regardless of the time of day you exercise, you’ll achieve gains in cardiorespiratory fitness and strength,” says Catherine Yeckel, MS, PhD, exercise physiologist and assistant professor of clinical public health at Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Conn. Of course, the more important question is when you’ll be more motivated to exercise. “The best time to exercise is when you can take time for yourself and put your full effort into completing your workout,” says Marisa Mickey, MS, assistant professor of exercise science at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass....

Kelly Wearstler is well-known for her playful takes on high-end interior design, transforming both residential and commercial spaces, like the Santa Monica Proper Hotel. Mixing an elevated sense of style with a free-spirited West Coast attitude, Wearstler is now bringing her signature look to a new collection with Farrow & Ball. Appropriately named The California Collection, the palette includes eight colors: four cheerful hues and four warm neutrals to pair with them....

The problem is, home remodeling costs aren’t cheap. Nearly one third of homeowners have significant trouble staying on budget when getting work done on their homes—and they tend to spend the most in the kitchen. If remodeling your kitchen with marble or concrete countertops is top of mind this year, there are a few things you should know before diving in, particularly how much you should be spending on your efforts....

The general ratio for pasta dough is three parts flour to two parts wet ingredient, which is typically water or egg. Instead, veggie puree subs in well to create a healthier dough. These ingredients mix so well, in fact, you may wonder why people make pasta any other way. The below technique is fun to play with to create your own recipes, kid- and dinner party-friendly, and yes, looks great on Instagram....

Seasonal affective disorder can be treated with light therapy, however, which can be done right in the comfort of your own home. So here’s what you need to know about light therapy and if it’s right for you. Vinay Saranga, M.D., psychiatrist and founder of Saranga Comprehensive Psychiatry, says light therapy is most commonly used for people who suffer from seasonal depression. “There are some other uses for light therapy, such as in some sleep disorders, people who work overnight shifts, to recover from jet lag, and in dementia as well,” he adds....

I love the idea of investing in a full cookware set, but it’s not practical when there’s nowhere to store it. Right now, I live in a small apartment with little kitchen countertop space, let alone enough storage areas to hold everything I already own. I have several miscellaneous pots and pans, but some of their lids are missing, and I want to continue using what I have instead of buying a new full set....

Massaging the kale leaves well with the dressing allows the leaves to soften and tenderize—the key is to not be shy and just get your hands in there. The bowl is full of gorgeous colors: There are red kale leaves, green Brussels sprouts, golden croutons, and jewel-toned pomegranate seeds. All together this salad is a gorgeous feast for the eyes, inviting eaters to dig in. It’s all tossed with a sweet-tart Dijon mustard vinaigrette, whose sharp flavor plays off the buttery herb croutons....