Spaghetti squash is a large round squash that forms spaghetti-like strands when it’s cooked. Its texture is crisp, its taste is mild, and it can indeed replace spaghetti in the recipe of your choice. This is especially good news if you’re searching for an alternative to pasta, either because you’re allergic to gluten or because […]

Looking for an easy way to organize a messy bookshelf ? You might consider turning all the spines backward. Yes, the backward bookshelf is one of the easiest ways — albeit, not too functional — to clean up a hodgepodge of texts. It’s also an interior design craze that’s about as culturally divisive as national […]

Major League Baseball Opening Day — it’s like Christmas in the spring for my husband, Dustin. As far back as one month ago, he started the countdown. Everyone in the house knew when Opening Day was, thanks to his updates. And when we got that surprise, fresh pile of snow in March and everyone in […]

As a gardener, I consider anything I would reach for in a food store to be fair game to try to grow at home. That accounts for the kumquat, avocado and bay laurel trees at my kitchen window. So when I recently reached for a jar of curry powder at the store, I figured: Why […]

We have not always had much luck with pet fish, and by that I mean, our fish don’t live more than a few weeks. This didn’t worry me too much, because it seems like a rite-of-passage in childhood. You beg for a fish, get it, and then it dies. Flushing ceremonies for pet fish who […]

With spring — and just-observed Easter — upon us, I offer a dish guaranteed to spruce up a seasonal brunch. It may look complicated, but it really couldn’t be simpler. The only hump to get over is fear of phyllo (also spelled filo), a pastry dough that originated in Turkey and that’s popular today in […]

Those of us with outdoor-loving pets know the downside to all that freewheeling frolic: Muddy paws, tangled fur, and often much worse. Animal behavior experts have many theories on why some dogs roll in noxious odors. Some researchers believe that getting one’s neck into a smell is an instinctive way to bring info about potential […]

As a gardener, I consider anything I would reach for in a food store to be fair game to try to grow at home. That accounts for the kumquat, avocado and bay laurel trees at my kitchen window. So when I recently reached for a jar of curry powder at the store, I figured: Why […]

Houseplants have been a mainstay of indoor decor for generations, but their selection and use has changed over time, particularly with urbanization. People no longer are wedded to placing a few potted African violets on sunny window sills to add color and texture to small spaces. Instead, they’re choosing less demanding houseplants, like succulents and […]