Holiday

Nothing soothes quite like curling up with a good book. But with the booming e-reader market, the avid readers on your gift list might soon be curling up with thousands at once. As the popularity of e-readers continues to soar – reports show that 12 percent of adults in the United States own one, up […]

Casseroles are an omnipresent holiday staple, be it grandma’s chicken-stuffed cheese concoction or a fried-onion encrusted green bean favorite. But getting comfortable with a casserole recipe can make it a forgettable presence on a holiday dinner table. “The best thing about casseroles is that you can be really creative,” says Stephanie Ashcraft, co-author of 200 […]

If you still reach for a box of buttery-tasting crackers for the party cheese to rest on, you can find more appealing alternatives. Thanks to the cracker revival, you’re in for exciting new taste and texture sensations. “It keeps getting more interesting. I see more shapes and more flavors [of crackers],” says Kara Nielsen, trendologist […]

Retro style is in, and kids can’t get enough of it, from cutting-edge clothing and accessories that recall the classics to thrift-shop home goods straight from grandma’s attic. A quest for individuality in a homogen -ized world is behind the vintage juggernaut, say trend watchers. So is a treacherous economy. “I think the resurgence started […]

You might be a PC, but there’s no doubt that they’re a Mac –%u202Fand nothing else with suffice. If you need the perfect –%u202Fand newest –%u202Fperipheral to plug into their fruitful life, look no further. Here are the latest Apple gadgets they’re pining for. iPhone 4SThe new iPhone 4S takes everything to the next level. […]

Growing up in the Midwest, there wasn’t a holiday that didn’t get a little merrier courtesy of a scoop of homemade ice cream. Aside from the Cool Whip-topped pumpkin variety, there wasn’t a pie baked in the twelve-month cycle that didn’t receive the hand-cranked a la mode treatment. Christmas was no exception. Sure, 12 inches […]

1. Stock a ’Holiday Party Pantry’Find a place in your home (a cupboard, closet, or a few shelves) where you can collect basic elements to help you pull together a great celebration, even at the last minute. Think platters and large serving bowls for a start, often on sale before the season. Then add colorful […]

Mr. Houck came early to the Sangamon Valley while it was still a wilderness without many inhabitants. He came before the land was surveyed so his fields stretched from the big sycamore tree to the east, to the large cottonwood on the creek bank to the west. All the land in between and up to […]

With the film industry heading towards instant downloads and video streaming via the Internet and other delivery modes, the release of large DVD sets is becoming more and more rare. That’s a shame because much of the fun for cinephiles when purchasing such collections comes from discovering the many extra features they contain. Various outtakes, […]

Video-gaming couch potatoes are so yesteryear. In 2010, gamers must get on their feet to conquer feats in seventh-generation gaming systems. Two new consoles debuted this year with action-packed adventures for all ages to enjoy. Gift-givers, compare specs below to decide which gaming system will help loved-ones make all the right moves. PlayStation MovePerhaps “Move” […]