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¾ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup whipping cream ½ cup butter 2 tablespoon light-color corn syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 banana, thinly sliced

What is Green Landscaping? Green landscaping—also known as sustainable or eco-landscaping—is a method to design, create, and maintain your landscape to save time, money, and energy. Green landscapes nurture wildlife; reduce air, soil, and water pollution; and make healthy recreation spaces. Your yard can make a difference! Green Landscaping: Plants and Hardscapes Plants are central to the “green” part of green landscaping. When thinking about what to plant, consider native plants or cultivars derived from native plants (sometimes referred to as “nativars”)....

Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Croutons: Spread 2 slices of white or wheat sandwich bread with peanut butter and top with 2 additional slices of bread. Brush both sides of each sandwich with oil or melted butter. In a skillet over medium heat, cook sandwiches until golden brown, turning once. Cut into cubes.

Switchgrass Care Must-Knows Switchgrass likes sandy soil with a fair amount of organic matter. For the best results, keep it evenly moist and avoid planting in soggy, heavy clay soil. Once established, switchgrass can handle droughts. There are even some species and cultivars that tolerate salt spray. Don’t worry about fertilizing; switchgrass has an extensive root system that goes deep into the soil to get needed nutrients. For the most vibrant colors, plant switchgrass in full sun....

When everything in your home has a place, it’s easier to solve everyday problems, even if it’s as simple as knowing where to find new batteries for the remote control. Being capable of fixing these minor inconveniences also enhances your sense of control and fulfillment because you know exactly where to look. To help you achieve the mental health boost that comes with an organized home, Carrie Peeples, owner of Atlanta-based home organization company Neatsmart, shares some of her best-kept secrets to help you get organized now so you can take back control of your space....

Cantilever umbrellas (also called offset or side pole umbrellas) differ from other models due to having a post to the side that suspends the canopy in the air, says Charles Lillo, co-founder of Umbrella Specialists. One of their main benefits, the expert adds, is that they “can be rotated to keep up with the changing angle of shade as the sun moves in the sky.” To find the best cantilever umbrellas, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind the canopy size, tilt, rotation, and other additional features....

“Humidifiers can have benefits for several dermatologic conditions, including dry skin and eczema, and conditioning the nasal passages and throat when the air is dry,” says Dr. Erum Ilyas, MBE, FAAD, a dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group. To find out which styles are the best, we purchased 27 humidifiers and put them to the test at our lab in Des Moines, Iowa. Over the course of two days, testers evaluated each option based on six categories: setup, effectiveness, design, size, ease of cleaning, and overall value....

“Just like any design you should have a focal point,” says Jowill Leano, senior designer at home building company Welcome Homes. “This can be a giant star you hang from a gable or a Christmas tree made out of lights. I think lights are a good way to express yourself and really help bring around the cheer.” But Christmas lights aren’t only for Christmas time. While these light strings reliably make our homes merry around the holidays, they can also add a twinkle of light to our dorms, decks, or apartments all year long....

When shopping for an outdoor blanket, consider your lifestyle and needs. Pearce says to look for “materials that are forgiving to sunlight, water, and stains.” Since your pick may be exposed to sand, ocean water, or just some dripping condiments, you’ll want something that is easily washable. To help you find the best option, we researched the best outdoor blankets, considering their size, material, ease of cleaning, and additional features....

“Wool blankets evoke feelings of curling up with a great book, watching your favorite movie, or feeling their weight on your feet when they’re folded at the foot of your bed. It is for these reasons that a wool blanket needs to be soft and not too scratchy, and weighty but not too heavy,” says Maggie Kanter of Maggie Kanter Interiors. “Secondly, I think the average person choosing a wool blanket is looking for something that will stand the test of time, which they are known to do by their durable composition....

The best pizza stones help to perfectly cook your dough, resulting in a golden crust and gooey melted cheese every time, whether you’re cooking in the oven, on the grill, or over a fire. It achieves this by heating up and retaining high temperatures all across the surface, resulting in more even cooking and allowing you to create a delightfully crispy crust at home. “The best pizza stones or baking steels are at least 15 inches by 15 inches,” says Matt Johnson, a recipe developer and blogger....

A tiller uses metal tines to dig into the soil and turn it over, thereby eliminating hardened clumps of soil, mixing the soil and any added fertilizers or compost, and aerating the ground so plants have greater access to nutrients. “Vegetable gardens and planting beds need rich, loose, drainable soil to ensure root growth and abundant crops,” says Gary McCoy, a Lowe’s store manager serving the Charlotte, North Carolina, market....

The chair, which has now sold out three times, has a modern style and is upholstered in a soft, boucle faux shearling material that makes it a cozy place to lounge. Whether you’re upgrading your reading nook, sprucing up a home office, or putting the finishing touches on a bedroom, the chair’s off-white color will seamlessly fit in your home. Plus, the minimal design leaves plenty of room to make it your own with a textured throw pillow or decorative blanket....