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Goat milk butter (or goat butter) has an almost velvety texture and a true melt-in-your-mouth quality that, to me, elevates it beyond any other butter out there. Here’s what to know before subbing goat butter in every recipe you know and love. How Goat Butter Tastes All butter is made by the same process no matter what animal’s milk it comes from, says Seair Lorentz, communications manager with California-based Meyenberg, the country’s largest producer of European-style goat butter and the only one that ships nationally....

Why Grill in the Winter? There are so many reasons. This year, given all the inside time of the pandemic, you may want to get safely outdoors for short stretches whenever you can. Spending 15 minutes grilling provides a break from the news cycle and screens, a brief recharge. Sure, it might take a winter coat and more bundling, but what you get for your efforts is a brief escape and the magic of cooking outside....

That said, the poultry aisle at your grocery store can be a puzzling place. How do those boneless and bone-in pieces differ in flavor, exactly? And what does pasture-raised, free-range, and antibiotic-free even mean? We asked Yankel Polak, the head chef at ButcherBox (which delivers top-quality chicken, beef, and pork directly to your door) to answer some common chicken questions. Boneless Cuts Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: These are cut from the chest of the bird, with the tenderloin removed....

How to play: First, paint a straight, even stripe on a flat section of lawn to stand in for a balance beam. (A standard gymnastics beam is four inches wide by 16 feet long, if you’re feeling fastidious.) Then challenge team members to perform a series of increasingly difficult maneuvers without straying from the stripe: walking backward; hopping on one foot; and doing cartwheels. How to play: Fun fact: Croquet made its Olympic debut at the 1900 Paris Games (and never got invited back)....

If you depleted your emergency fund, tapped into your retirement savings, or had to take on more debt due to a loss in income, it may be time to try a new strategy to build back your wealth for financial security. If you’re in a two-income household, consider banking one income to increase your savings, pay down high-interest credit cards, or build back your emergency fund. We’ve asked financial experts about why you should think about living on one income—and how to make it happen without it feeling like a punishment....

If you’re feeling this way or experiencing any other worries, you may be grappling with “re-entry anxiety,” feelings of hesitancy about resuming pre-pandemic behaviors–even when it’s safe to do so. And as psychologists have discovered, re-entry anxiety isn’t uncommon. For example, in a survey of 3,013 adults, researchers found that 49 percent of Americans feel nervous about in-person activities, even as the pandemic winds down, the American Psychological Association reports....

And while you’re at it, spruce up your garbage disposal by following a few easy cleaning tricks we’ve picked up over the years. Start saving your orange peels—they’re a secret weapon when it comes de-stinking a smelly garbage disposal. How To Clean Your Kitchen Sink (No Harsh Chemicals Required) What You’ll Need: Mild dish soapSoft spongeOld toothbrushBaking sodaLemonWhite vinegarOlive oil (optional)Lemon oil (optional) Follow These Steps: How to Clean a Sink Faucet What You’ll Need:...

These experiences are more commonly related to attention issues rather than true memory problems. They can also be indicative of other (seemingly unrelated) issues that need addressing, like too much stress or too little sleep, explains Karen D. Sullivan, PhD, ABPP, founder of Pinehurst Neuropsychology in North Carolina and creator of the I Care for Your Brain program. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work on strengthening and supporting your memory “muscle,” especially since changes in memory are a natural part of aging....

That said, there’s still always a way to celebrate and keep special traditions alive, even if it looks a little different this year. It’s time to adjust your expectations and get creative, because when life gives you lemons—well, you know what to do with them. Of course, this particular lemon is big (like, life-altering big)—but that only makes it more important to find happiness and comfort in small things, like celebrating what you’d normally be celebrating right now....

An egg wash can also help seal the edges of filled pastries or hand pies, as well as help any sprinkled sugar adhere to dough. It’s a straightforward technique that truly elevates both sweet and savory baked goods. How to Make an Egg Wash As you may have guessed, the process for making an egg wash is very simple and requires only two steps. It’s important to note that because this technique involves raw egg, the brush should be thoroughly washed after use to avoid cross-contamination, and this technique should not be applied if not followed by the indicated baking time of a recipe....

Here’s how to make your favorite Starbucks holiday drinks at home. Red cup optional. Pumpkin Spice Latte The key to flavored lattes is the syrup, which can be purchased online in various sizes. Though Starbucks doesn’t sell its pumpkin spice syrup commercially, a similar syrup can be purchased from Torani, which is used by coffee shops across America. If you want to make your own, Starbucks at Home provides the following recipe: 1 cup water, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 6 Tbsp pumpkin purée, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice should be simmered for about 4 minutes until everything is well combined....

Microwaving Sweet Potatoes Is there a difference between the terms “baking,” “cooking,” or “steaming” sweet potatoes in the microwave? No. These are all different ways of describing this simple microwave process. How Long to Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Microwave Because sweet potatoes vary so much in size and weight, there’s no one-size-fits-all time limit. In general, it takes five minutes to cook one sweet potato in the microwave, and add two minutes in the microwave for each additional potato....

The One-Wall Wonder If your “foyer” is really just a small wall beside the front door, don’t worry, you still have enough space for a functional entryway. Take advantage of vertical wall space with a large arched mirror ($289, shadesoflight.com). Bonus points: it will bounce light around the room. Underneath the mirror, we set a luxe-yet-affordable marble shelf with brass brackets ($70, cb2.com). To add extra organization, a brass rod ($15, RebelMetals....

Tools and Materials The right painting tools will make it so much easier to get a professional finish for your paint project. Cellulose spongeDishwashing liquidPainter’s tapePrimerPaintPaint trayPaint roller2-inch angled paintbrushExtension poleLadder Techniques for a Better Paint Job It may be tempting to skip ahead to the painting part, but prepping the wall appropriately is essential for getting professional-looking results. Tip: Follow the manufacturer’s drying instructions, which you’ll find on the can, to make sure the primer is completely dry before applying paint....

Pasta is, after all, a near-perfect food. We can always look to pasta when we need an easy-to-prepare, affordable, and shelf-stable dinner. It’s extremely versatile, too, which means you can dress your noodles up in whatever sauce you have on hand—or just toss them with a pad of butter with salt and pepper—for a family-friendly meal that takes 20 minutes or less. One of the much-loved things about pasta is that you can make a big batch of it and eat it for days....

FSA Basics You may be familiar with a healthcare FSA, which allows account holders to arrange for their employer to set aside pre-tax money for medical costs. Well, a dependent care FSA works the same way but sets aside money for childcare—encompassing infant care through preschool, summer day camp, and before- and after-school programs—as well as adult care. Everyone is eligible for this program as there are no income limits for opening a dependent care FSA, but each household can only contribute up to $5000 per year, regardless of how many kids it has....

How to Store Dry Pasta Tight, secure seals will prevent bugs from infesting dry pasta. Once you’ve opened the original box or container of pasta, it’s important to transfer any leftover dry pasta to a fresh, airtight storage container. Keep airtight pasta containers in a cool, dark, dry place, like a cupboard. Stored in this way, dry pasta lasts indefinitely. How to Store Fresh Pasta Fresh pasta hasn’t been dehydrated, so it doesn’t last as long as dry pasta does....

How to Straighten Hair With Heat Learning how to straighten your hair isn’t a one-size-fits-all process, says Dickey. “Texture determines how to straighten,” he explains. Techniques vary by hair type, roughly divided along the line of straighter textures like waves and very curly and kinky hair. Step 1: Shampoo and Condition That said, all great straight styling begins in the shower. “The thicker, curlier and kinkier your hair is, the more you want to avoid shampoos with suds,” says Dickey....