What’s better than a beer? Beer cupcakes! I made these Guinness cupcakes a little early for St. Patrick’s Day, and they were gobbled up faster than you can say, “Erin go bragh.” Guinness has a subtle, naturally sweet taste to it, so it melded nicely into cupcakes. The desserts weren’t overly sugary and heavy like some cupcakes are (which is both good and dangerous since I ate about four before I realized what happened). Tie on your green apron and try the recipe after the jump! — Katie D. Click for Guiness cupcakes! (more…)

Great news! Valentine’s Day is arriving again this year, right on schedule. If you like the sentiment but think drug store candy aisle “I love you’s” overrated, say it creatively with an alternative thought for your special someone.

If you fancy the heart-shaped box but are over chocolates, swap them out for a variety of tea infusers with Tea Forte’s Inspiration Hearts, $20 for the large, $12 for the small. Each pyramid infuser contains a leaf-shaped note inscribed with words of wisdom to inspire a special recipient.

“I love you” may be three words, but a memoir takes six. Catch up on your love lit with Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak, $8. Or, for longer-form love notes by someone else, try Other People’s Love Letters, $15.30.

While you may have your love to keep you warm, you may also be underestimating the winter. This “heart warmer” hot water bottle, $15, will do the trick even on the most frigid nights.

Dress a bottle of wine for the occasion with a greeting card label from Toast-Its.com. All designs include space for a personal message that will remain after the wrapper is removed. At $4 a pop, they match the price of an ordinary card, and shipping is free.

Skip the card store and put the romance in writing with Anthropologie’s Valentine in a Bottle, $16. Showcase your sentiments in the glass, and fill throughout the year to keep the love alive.

If you can’t muster up the courage to share your feelings outright, say it anonymously with Redstamp.com’s Secret Admirer Service. Simply select a card and your choice of male or female handwriting and one of their experts will write, stamp and mail your card for you on a designated date. $5 plus the cost of card. — Sarah C.

This Valentine’s Day, say it with science. Finding “the one” is a gift to be cherished, and what better way to express that than with a heart in its truest, most anatomically correct form?

Keep it real with some heart art like Hybrid-Home’s Dora Drimalas print, $40, a My Heart Is Yours poster, $24 from Velocity Art & Design, or the strangely appealing heart vase ($450 at Supermarket) by Esque Designs.

For the snugglebug, snag a plush heart for $9 from Etsy shop Batteries Not Included or a plush friend from the source for plush organs, I Heart Guts. (Neil Young fans: consider that heart of gold found.) Or satiate your favorite sweetie with a gummy heart from Fred Flare.

If cards are your thing, create some homemade love with this heart rubber stamp, $4.99, by Etsy seller BlossomStamps, or say it outright with letterhappy’s straightforward note, $2.

All these heart-y tributes may even score you some points for attention to detail and intelligent design. Nothing says love like a spot-on ventricle. — Sarah C.

The turnaround time is currently three weeks, but for something this cute, we think your Valentine would accept it belatedly. This custom heart tree print pillow by Etsy seller cozyblue is silkscreened and embroidered by hand with your choice of names or initials. What can we say but, “Awww.” $30 for the cover, add $12 for an insert, at cozyblue’s shop.

After an evening of New Year’s Eve revelry, when I finally stumble out of bed, this is what I’ll be making: a hearty saute of blackeyed peas and mustard greens with a touch of ham and basted eggs. Top if off with a hearty dose of sriracha hot sauce (Bon Appetit’s ingredient of the year, incidentally) and it’s a surefire way to kick out that hangover and get the new decade started on the right foot. Seven ingredients, one skillet, and fifteen minutes is all it takes. Promise! –Megan B. Click for New Year’s yumminess. (more…)

After I posted a link to Saveur’s Tom and Jerry recipe, I couldn’t get it out of my head. It just seemed so elegant and warm for the holidays, especially as we were having Christmas breakfast with two friends, so I decided to give the recipe a whirl. I think the drinks turned out exactly right, but not without a lot of effort.

First, separating eggs: I don’t find this that difficult (I just do what my mom taught me, which is to plunk the yellow back and forth between the shell halves while the white drains into a bowl) but I did that classic thing where you accidentally drop the yellow into the white, and it breaks, and then you start over.

Second, reading comprehension: All my ingredients are measured out, add the two cups of rum to the batter….hmm, that’s not thickening as promised. Oh, you said two TABLESPOONS of rum? My mistake. Dump the batter, and start over with the egg separating thing… Read on, if you dare. (more…)

We’re taking the next few days off and we hope that you can, do. We’ll see you off with this photo of Megan B’s fab vintage Christmas tree. See you all on Monday. Cheers!

Last week, I decided to be proactive and plan the holiday table. While my goal remains to become a flea market regular and find an eclectic mix of red transferware plates for the holidays, for now, it’s the Maribeth salad plates from Pier 1. Paired with my everyday (and only) china, they do the trick. Next, a mix of antique pewter liquor cups and gills filled with Nandina berries and boxwood plucked from the backyard. Finally, I pulled out our wedding crystal and pewter candlesticks (last used in August) and realized I (gulp) had more cleaning left to do. Here are some of my fave pre- and post-event cleaning tricks:

Wax drips: If you have wax drips on a tablecloth or candlesticks, a short trip to the freezer will do the trick. Wait until the wax hardens, then chip off. If a wax stain remains on your linens, you will either need to pour hot water over the stain or iron between sheets of paper towels before treating and washing.

Pewter: If dusting doesn’t seem to do the trick for pewter, stick with soap and water. Anything else will ruin the patina that develops naturally over time.

Crystal: A few drops of vinegar added to warm, soapy water will make crystal stemware sparkle. If you have a pitcher or decanter that is cloudy, add the same vinegar/soap/water mixture plus enough uncooked rice to “scrub” the inside while you swirl the liquid around.

Silver: Rather than paying for a chemical cleaner, go the old fashioned (and green) route. Line a container with aluminum foil. Place the silver so every piece is touching the foil and add hot water until the items are submerged. Add a small amount of salt, then a cup or two of fresh baking soda and wait until the tarnish dissolves. When the water is cool, remove silver and polish with a soft, dry cloth. — Sarah L.

Most years, gift tags are an afterthought for me. But this year, I have tag envy something fierce. The mini silhouette tags got me started, and now I’m loving these Lil’ Bloomer gift tags/ornaments, $9 for 12. Each tag comes with wildflower seeds inside — just plant them after the holidays and watch your gifts keep giving well into spring! — Sarah C.

We’re also loving the Moose Gift Tags, $6 for three, from Linda & Harriett around here — and not just because I live in the Northwest. Each tag is laser cut from chipboard and would be a great touch for a gift like a bottle of wine. It’s too late to order them for Christmas, but they’d add some fun to a New Year’s Eve hostess gift. — Mary T.

Growing up, it always drove my Dad nuts when we opened a box of packages and there was a Christmas gift for our dog. It’s not that he didn’t care for our pets — he made our ducks a pond from the ancient tub he tore out of our 1840s house one year and, to this day, he still stops at the butcher shop to pick up bones for his dog as a special treat — but Christmas was and is a people day to him. With a new pup at home, I have to admit Bauer is not on our Christmas list. However, there may be a bone or two on the grocery list for him. Do you give holiday gifts to your pets? — Sarah L.