Happy Thanksgiving!

We'd like to wish a happy and safe Thanksgiving to everyone out there! Enjoy the food, drink, and company. Here's a festive picture of cats for the occasion.

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Beyond Cinnamon: 5 Delicious Things to Add to Your Hot Apple Cider

This winter hot and delicious drinks will abound, and hot apple cider is one of our favorites! If you feel the same way, then check out "Beyond Cinnamon: 5 Delicious Things to Add to Your Hot Apple Cider" for some new tastes!

It's that time of year when a hot cup of spiced apple cider is just what we need to warm our hands and bellies, a true comfort against the colder and darker days. Getting bored with just cinnamon in your cider? Try these delicious additions instead!

Hot apple cider is an excellent choice for those times when we want a warm beverage but need to forego the stimulation of coffee, tea or chocolate. While it's traditional to float a cinnamon stick or maybe the occasional clove in the cider to add even more toastiness to the experience, we can also move beyond the tried-and-true into exciting new combinations.

• 5-Spice. My local spice shop makes a whole spice 5-spice blend which is perfect for hot cider. What's nice about the whole spices is that you can adjust the mix (adding more or less of certain spices as you see fit) and also take them out once the mixture has reached the level of spice you want.
• Chili. Float a dried chili de arbol or other spicy chili in your hot cider to add another layer of warmth. A pinch of cayenne or other powdered chili (but not chili powder!) will also do.
• Citrus. To complement the acidity of the apples, add a slice of lemon or a lemon peel. Orange is nice, too. This can also be delicious if used with the chili, above.
• Booze. A little brandy or rum is a nice addition for those moments when youreally need a warming boost.
• Maple Syrup. If you want a sweeter beverage, try a splash of maple syrup.

Do you have a favorite addition to warm apple cider?

(Image credits: Dana Velden)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/beyond-cinnamon-5-delicious-things-to-add-to-your-hot-apple-cider-197324

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5 Things To Do 10 Minutes Before You Go To Bed

When your evening is drawing to a close, there's a few things you can quickly do to keep your space in tip top shape, while winding yourself down for some zzzzs. Check out "5 Things To Do 10 Minutes Before You Go To Bed"

1. Do The Dishes - It's a proven fact that we're more likely to eat at home and make dinner ourselves if the area in which food preparation happens is clean. It's easy to cook dinner and leave cleanup for later, but making sure the dishes are done before the morning routine starts makes for a healthier day. Breakfast is a snap, dinner is easy and best of all the dishes are easy to do. Doing them each night eliminates those little bits of crusty stuck on food that can take extra time to scrape off later.

2. Pick Up Outerwear - It's easy to come home, take off your jacket, your shoes, your hat and get comfy! After all, that's what a home is for! But if your home is anything like ours, more than a days worth of shoes on the floor can be a disaster. Literally. Making sure that stray bits of clothing and shoes have been returned to their closets and baskets makes other chores on our list easier throughout the week. No one wants to clean their space before they can clean their space. Knowing you have a few minutes to spare to vacuum is easy when you don't have to tidy before hand!

3. Replace Entertainment - Most often our days are filled with busy stressful things and after our projects, homework or activites are done, there's nothing more we want than to sink into our couch with a snack and a great dvd or video game. The downfall to such habits usually necessitates a little clutter out in the open. Game boxes, dvd cases, controllers, remotes... they can seem simple and harmless, but keeping it in check each night means our main living spaces are ready to go for the next nights fun. Plus it keeps things at bay in case impromptu guests come over.

4. Tie Off Trash - Each morning before we leave the house we take the trash out. It's a great way to keep our space clean and to prevent having to drag more than 1 bag outside at a time. Because if more than 1 bag goes out at a time, that means there was a bag sitting and waiting in your home. And although it's easy to do (we've been there too), the thought of a bag of trash just hanging out is kind of... gross. By tying it off each night, it's ready to grab as we walk out the door to walk the dogs. We don't have any fuss, mess or frustration. We also have smaller bags than most, so if this isn't applicable to you, then adjust it as it works with your home.

5. Make A List - It seems silly, but there's nothing more annoying that having been out all day, only to return to discover you forgot to pick up something important. Shampoo, toilet paper, copies that needed to be made, whatever the case may be, a simple list of things that need to be picked up or done the next day can be quite freeing. We put the list in our pocket on the way out the door and it helps us keep track of the things on our agenda.

Do you have something you do before bed? Leave us a note in the comments below!

Image: Anne Ingman from Anne & Jake's Bright Colorful Midwestern Home on Apartment Therapy

Original Article Here: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/5-things-to-do-before-you-go-to-bed-81785

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Make this Homemade Holiday Gift: Clay Magnets

Thinking of DIY gifts for this holiday season? Here's a wonderful idea for some unconventional and interesting magnets. Find out how to make them below in "Make this Homemade Holiday Gift: Clay Magnets".

Materials:

• Oven Bake Clay
• Small Circular Magnets
• Wax Paper
• Hot Glue Gun
• 1" Round Cookie Cutter (or shape of your own choosing)
• Clay Carving Tools or A Wooden Spoon
• Sheet Pan
• Oven (For Heat-Setting)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. On a sheet of wax paper, roll out clay until it is smooth, and uniformly 1/4" thick.
3. Cut the circles with the cookie cutter
4. Using the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon, or the back side of a clay cutting tool, make uniform divots about 1/8" deep into the clay, taking care not to get too close to the edges or it will warp the shape.
5. Bake on a wax paper-lined sheet pan for 15 minutes.
6. Allow to cool completely on a rack.
7. Apply magnets to the back side of the clay disk using a pea-size amount of hot glue. Press firmly and allow to set for one minute.
8. If you'd like to display them nicely, simply apply a small amount of rubber cement to the magnet and press onto paper or cardstock backing. The magnets will stay put until pulled off, and the rubber cement will stay on the paper.

(Image credits: Heather Jennings / Poppyhaus; Heather Jennings)



Original Article Here: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/make-this-homemade-holiday-gift-clay-magnets-homemade-holiday-gift-idea-exchange-project-5-196957

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