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2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon salt ⅔ cup shortening Water

Leah has worked as both a writer and a teacher, contributing to a tutorial program for the Maryland Correctional Institution as well as a Johns Hopkins University liberal arts program called “The Odyssey.” At Johns Hopkins, she personally taught memoir and personal narrative writing. As a writer, her journalistic training brought her to the Chicago Tribune, first as a staff writer and later as the columnist for “Home on the Range....

Leslie has authored, co-authored, and ghost-written several books, including “Brave Girls: Raising Young Women with Passion and Purpose to Become Powerful Leaders;” “Heart Breath Mind: Train Your Heart to Conquer Stress and Achieve Success;” and “Locker Room Diaries: The Naked Truth About Women, Body Image, and Re-Imagining the “Perfect” Body;” and others. She also speaks at colleges and universities on the topics of body image, media literacy, and female empowerment....

1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (4 cups) 3 tablespoon meringue powder* ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup warm water 1 teaspoon vanilla *Tip Meringue powder is a mixture of pasteurized dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gums. Look for it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or at a specialty food store.

Toasted Bread Crumbs: In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add 1/2 cup panko. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, thyme, rosemary, or basil.

Tips You can get the packed-tight appeal of these sandwiches with two skillets. Place sandwich(es) in a coated and heated skillet. Place a large skillet on top of sandwich(es); add a few unopened cans of food to top skillet. Cook about 2 minutes; turn. Replace skillet and cans; cook about 2 minutes more or until done. These panini won’t have the classic grill marks, but they will have the well-loved crisp, melty goodness....

Dry Cactus Dish Garden Cacti grow best in rooms that are dry and warm, like a desert. Bright light is also a must, so place your cactus dish garden near a sunny, south-facing window. Rotate the dish a quarter turn every once in a while to make sure your plants don’t start growing lopsided toward the light. Water your cacti every month or so, and only lightly. If they start losing their green color and become soft to the touch (be careful not to prick yourself), that’s a sign you’re overwatering....

Once you know how to dye eggs naturally, try experimenting with creating new shades. These egg dye recipes are a clever way to use food scraps or spices past their best-by date. Follow our easy instructions to create a batch for your egg hunt or Easter decor. How To Make Natural Easter Egg Dye What You Need Natural Easter egg dye recipe, below Hard-boiled eggs in shells Large wide-mouth jar (such as these Ball Glass Mason Jars, $12, Target)...

½ cup bottled roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped ¾ cup soft whole wheat bread crumbs (about 1 slice) ¼ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, (thawed) or 1 egg, lightly beaten 3 tablespoon tomato sauce ¼ cup snipped fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed 2 tablespoon snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley ¼ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon black pepper 1 pound 95% lean ground beef

2 tablespoon olive oil 1 ½ cup chopped onions ½ teaspoon kosher salt 3 Granny Smith Apples ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoon honey ⅔ cup water

Tips Prep through Step 4, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Bake as directed, increasing baking time to 35 minutes. (Mely recommends using a quality corn tortilla. Cheaper tortillas may start to break down during storage.) * Remove seeds and membranes for less heat in sauce.

The flowers are a species of Nemophila, commonly called baby blue eyes (and it’s easy to see where they got their name!). Though they’re currently blanketing the grounds of Hitachi in Japan, this wildflower is actually native to North America. Grown as an annual, they’re especially popular for container gardens and as groundcovers, like in the park. Usually, they’ll only grow about 6 inches tall, and the flowers are a little over an inch wide when they bloom....

Tips Fill the rest of your plate with some asparagus spears grilled along with the chicken for a bright, simple side dish.