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Editor’s Tip: After the book is chosen, go online and look for discussion questions. Sometimes, the book publisher includes them at the end of the book or has a link to resources online. If there are no ready-made discussion questions, ask everyone to come up with at least one or two talking points before the next meeting. Editor’s Tip: If you decide to host the next meeting at a restaurant, be sure to call ahead and make a reservation, especially if the venue has a private meeting room that you can reserve....

1. Use a Felt Rug Pad One of the best ways to keep a rug in place, keep corners from curling, and make it more comfortable to walk on is by placing a rug pad underneath it. Felt rug pads come in various sizes, thickness options, and materials to accommodate different types of rugs and flooring. “To keep rugs from sliding, consider using a rug pad that is appropriate for your floor....

4 eggs, lightly beaten2 cups all-purpose flour2 cups sugar2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking soda3 cups finely shredded carrot (lightly packed)3/4 cup cooking oil1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted (optional) Directions More Carrot Cake Recipes Orange-Carrot Cake with Chocolate Ganache Carrot Cheesecake Carrot Cake Recipes We Love Carrot-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Mango Carrot Cake

How to Make a Modern Farmhouse Planter Intermediate DIYers won’t have a problem putting this simple modern planter together. Before you begin, make sure you have all the supplies and materials necessary. Supplies Needed Compound miter saw(4) 1 x 4 x 10-foot cedar boards(3) 1 x 4 x 8-foot cedar boards(4) 1 x 1 x 48-inch square cedar dowels(3) 1/2 x 48-inch round dowelsSandpaperPaintbrushExterior wood stain in blackSealantReciprocating saw(6) 1 x 1 x 48-inch steel square tubes1/2 x 72-inch threaded rodSpray bonding primerExterior spray paint in blackExterior wood glueClampsDrill1-inch exterior wood screws1-1/4-inch exterior wood screws1/2-inch drill bit(8) 1/2 x 2-inch carriage bolts(16) 1/2-inch nuts and washersHeavy plasticStaple gunTwine4 small screw eyesGalvanized wireWire cutters...

Step 1: Cut in shortening. Start by combining the dry ingredients: 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.Use a pastry blender to cut 1/3 cup shortening into the flour mixture.Work just until the pieces are the size of small peas. Step 2: Moisten the flour mixture. Sprinkle ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over part of the flour mixture.Toss gently with a fork; push moistened flour to one side of the bowl....

A miter is probably the most common type of angle cut. A miter usually is made at 45 degrees in order to join two pieces of wood at a 90-degree angle, as in the corner of a picture frame. Cutting an accurate miter is more difficult than it looks because even the slightest movement of the wood or shifting of the cutting tool will throw it off. Bevels are angle cuts along the edges or ends of boards, often for decorative purposes....

How Does Weather Affect Candy Making? Candy recipes usually call for precision, such as heating sugar to a specific temperature, then cooling it quickly. When the weather is hot or humid, it can take longer for the candy to cool or it can absorb excess moisture from the air, which might cause the sugar to crystallize or the texture to soften instead of becoming hard and crisp. That’s part of the reason why candy making is so popular in winter; the best climate for making candy has a relative humidity of less than 35%, and cold air usually has less moisture than hot air....

Food Safety Tip: Does edamame need to be cooked before eating? Yes! The edamame seeds are incredibly difficult to remove when raw. Fortunately, they slip out easily once the pods are cooked. Also, if you’re cooking edamame from the frozen state, remember that for food safety, all frozen vegetables (including edamame) should be thoroughly cooked before serving. How to Cook Fresh Edamame A steaming bowl of seasoned edamame pods is a go-to appetizer at many restaurants....

Remove them from the pan, place them in a colander, and run cold water over them until they’re cool enough to handle. To peel, gently tap each egg on the counter. Roll the egg between the palms of your hands. Peel off eggshell. Cover and refrigerate eggs until thoroughly chilled, about 1 hour. Egg Know-How Deviled eggs are everything you want in a hot-weather food: cool, easy, and the right size to sustain you between lunch and dinner....

How to Make Quick Bread Follow our Test Kitchen’s best tips for making quick bread that turns out perfect every time, whether you’re craving muffins, scones, or corn bread. Step 1: Grease the Pan Even if your loaf pan ($6, Walmart) is nonstick, grease it to ensure the quick bread dough bakes evenly and doesn’t stick. Use a clean pastry brush to lightly spread vegetable shortening over the bottom and slightly up the sides (about ½ inch) of the loaf pan....

How to Make a Cake Moist There are many steps in the cake-baking process where things can go awry. Follow these three simple guidelines for a moist cake. 1. Use Ingredients Called For and Measure Carefully What makes a cake moist? Precision, for one. Baking requires using exactly the ingredients called for. For example, some cakes use milk, buttermilk (or an acceptable substitute), or sour cream for liquid. These ingredients are not interchangeable....

You’ve likely spotted these on the shelves at your favorite home goods stores over the past few seasons, but it’s just as easy to make your own. Plus, it’s a great way to make good use of a sweater that’s no longer wearable, rather than just throwing it away. These faux pumpkins come together in just a few minutes, so you can make several in an afternoon. Hit the thrift store or sort through your donation pile, then grab a few faux gourds and start creating your own mini pumpkin patch with these simple instructions....

Wooden tubs work well; plastic pots hold moisture, while unglazed terra-cotta dries out quickly. A smaller miniature rose (from 6 to 18 inches tall) needs a pot at least 6 to 8 inches deep; a 2- to 3-foot standard rose requires a container at least 18 inches deep. Make sure the pot has a drainage hole. Click here to learn how to cut and prune your roses. Improve the soil....

Types of Cherry Trees When it comes to fruiting cherry trees, there are really two kinds: sour cherries (Prunus cerasus) and sweet cherries (Prunus avium). 1. Sour Cherries Often called dwarf cherries for their smaller size, sour cherries will reach about 20 feet if allowed to grow unchecked on standard root stocks. These trees grow best in USDA Zones 4-6; they favor cooler climates and are also more disease and pest resistant than sweet cherries....

Which Fabrics Can Be Bleached? The first place you should turn to when debating whether to bleach clothes is the garment care label. Here are the three symbols associated with bleach care and what they mean: Triangle: The garment can be washed with any type of bleach.Triangle with two parallel lines inside: Treat the garment with non-chlorine bleach only.Solid triangle with an X through it: Do not bleach. However, according to Clorox laundry scientist Mary Gagliardi, aka Dr....

How to Tell When Pumpkin Pie Is Done—3 Different Tests Here are three surefire tests for telling when pumpkin pie is done. Note that if your test determines an undercooked pumpkin pie, return it to the oven and bake a few minutes longer before testing it again. The Knife Test The classic knife test is the easiest and most foolproof way to tell if your pumpkin pie is done. Simply insert a knife near the center of the pie....

How To Tie A Bow For A Wreath Follow these simple how-to instructions to tie a classic bow and add it to a wreath. You should be able to complete the steps in about 5 minutes. Supplies Needed: RibbonScissorsWreath Step 1: Select Your Ribbon To make a big statement, opt for a thick ribbon that’s at least 2 inches wide. Ribbon with a wire edge gives the final look more shape and durability....