Indice dei contenuti per November 2024 in Real Simple

HEY, THERE! How you holding up? If the answer is “Not so great,” I hear you. It’s a nervy time. There’s all that holiday prep and planning—to-do lists within to-do lists! Then there’s the news, which lately has been…intense. Our social feeds take us from adorable dog videos to doomsaying election ads to hedgehogs eating cucumbers. The MRI studies are underway, but it’s a good bet that the emotional whiplash from flip-flopping endlessly between the happy hormones and the stress ones is not good for us. Still, as Americans, we pay attention to what’s happening in the world because we care. And we take action! We give our money—individual donors were the largest source of the country’s charitable contributions last year, for a total of $374 billion. We give…

About Heather With more than 17 years in the beauty biz, the busy mom of two (hi, Bean and Georgie!) has tried almost every serum, balm, and potion out there. She’s always down to chat about facial hair.…

IF THE WORD “winter” fills you with dread—the icy roads, the darkness, the freezing temps—Kari Leibowitz, PhD, can relate. The author of the new book How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days always preferred summer sun. “I grew up on the Jersey Shore, a confirmed winter hater,” Leibowitz says. Nevertheless, in 2014 she found herself in Tromsö, Norway, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where the so-called polar night leaves the region in near darkness for about two months each year. Leibowitz, who was there to study how locals cope with winter, assumed that as the temperature dropped, so would the residents’ emotional well-being. To her surprise, she found that instead of dreading the season, most welcomed it. “People were talking about…

AS WE HEAD INTO peak gratitude season, we’re taking extra care to appreciate the ordinary but wonderful things around us—time with the fam, warm bread and melty butter, dogs wearing sweaters, etc. As the psychologists who study the topic remind us, feeling thankful benefits our bodies, minds, and spirits, rewarding us with feel-good hormones that can boost our health and happiness. But gratitude’s true superpower may be the way it brings people closer. This is why gratitude developed in the first place, evolutionarily speaking: Helping others and accepting help in return ensured our survival. Now gratitude is the social glue that holds us together, enabling us to “find, remind, and bind,” according to a postulate embraced by current gratitude researchers, like Joel Wong, PhD, a professor of counseling psychology…

ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES SERVES 8 1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (no need to peel)4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 tsp. ground cinnamon½ tsp. ground cumin2 tsp. pure maple syrup, divided1½ tsp. kosher salt, divided3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot (from 1 shallot)1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped (about 8 cups)½ cup coarsely chopped salted, roasted pistachios½ cup pomegranate arilsCrumbled feta cheese (optional) PREHEAT oven to 425°F with rack in lower third position. Cut squash into ½-inch-thick slices. Chop slices into 2-inch-long pieces. TOSS squash with 1 tablespoon oil, cinnamon, cumin, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon salt on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread into an even layer. Bake until tender and browned on bottom,…

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Silicone This material is beloved because cakes pop right out and cookies slide off like butter. If tenacious pieces stick, soak the bakeware in warm water with a few drops of dish soap for two to three minutes, then wash with a nonabrasive sponge and warm, soapy water. To combat lingering smells, wash the pan as usual, then bake it on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. As for any stickiness or white film, soak the stuff in distilled white vinegar for about 30 minutes, or mix baking soda and water until you have a paste and spread it all over. Let the paste do its thing for an hour, then wash. Glass The dishwasher is generally gonna be your ticket to Clean Town for…

FUN WITH THE FAM The Bahamas A successful multigenerational getaway requires cozy sleeping space for everyone and activities that appeal to all. The Atlantis Bahamas (from $379 a night), a luxury resort on Paradise Island, delivers on both points. A 30-minute cab ride from the airport, this 3,800-room property features five distinct hotels, so you can choose the accommodations that fit your needs and budget—a secluded three-bedroom suite with a full kitchen, an all-suite building with an adults-only pool, or newly renovated classic rooms, for example. As for activities, there are water slides, pools, and cabanas galore, as well as nightclubs (even one for teens!), a movie theater, an ice cream parlor, a casino, marine expeditions, and more. BEAUTIFUL ADVENTURE Aruba Known as One Happy Island, this southern Caribbean…

Typically seedless and always easy to peel, these sweet, delicate citrus fruits are a little larger than clementines and generally only available in the fall and early winter. SHOP Don’t be put off by a knobby texture or loose rind. Neither suggests that your satsuma is overripe, and both suggest that peeling will be extra easy. STORE Keep them on the counter for up to a couple of days or in the crisper drawer for a few weeks. ENJOY Peel ’em and eat ’em! Put segments in a salad, squeeze out the juice for a vinaigrette, or drop a whole seedless one (sans peel) into a blender to brighten up a banana or berry smoothie.…

Readers Say… Yay! “I’ve always loved a nap! Especially now, with a 9-week-old baby, I sneak them in as much as possible.” MYROCKFLAWLESS “When I can, yes. It gives me a second wind on those extra-hard days and makes everything better.” STARDUST_920 “I can nap on demand. The best nap is a nap on a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon. Sublime!” RANNBURT Nay! “I have never been a napper. If I do nap, I feel worse when I wake up than I did prior.” _LAURATORR123 “Not officially. But I find myself doing the ol’ head bob sometimes (OK, most times) when I’m sitting on the couch reading.” LYNNE_CUMMEROW_KELLNER “I don’t. Because usually, if I take a nap, then I can’t sleep at night.” SAYALCA The Experts Say… A little siesta may…

I round up friends to write holiday cards for people in nursing homes. Last year, we sent more than 500! We hit the post-Christmas sales, and I stash cards until the next year.GINA GAYDOS PLAINFIELD, ILLINOIS I do a giant food shopping trip for my local pantry. I buy up fresh fruits and veggies—check with your pantry first about donating produce—and drop them all off. CARYND53 Maybe it’s because I grew up in Dunkin’ territory, but I keep $10 to $15 Dunkin’ gift cards in my car and give them out around the holidays, or just whenever someone goes above and beyond. Even if they don’t drink coffee, who doesn’t crave a doughnut hole every once in a while? SELDEN TEARSE DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS My husband and I use a specific…

ACTIVE TIME 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR, 35 MINUTES SERVES 6 Cooking spray1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour2 tsp. baking powder¾ tsp. kosher salt1¼ cups (248 g) granulated sugar, divided3 large eggs1½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese (from a 15-oz. container)½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted½ tsp. pure vanilla extract1½ cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries (from a 16-oz. bag), divided PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on 2 sides. (For a round cake, use a 9-inch cake pan, greased and lined with parchment.) Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl until combined. WHISK eggs, ricotta, butter, and vanilla in a separate large bowl. Fold…

Visit the Vet Regularly While humans officially become seniors around age 65, cats generally hit the milestone once they’re 10 years old, and for dogs it’s around 8 to 11, depending on their size (small breeds tend to live longer). When your pet reaches that age, take him to the vet at least twice a year so early signs of certain illnesses and conditions—particularly cancer, cognitive dysfunction, and arthritis—can be diagnosed ASAP through blood work, urinalysis, fecal testing, and such. Sound spendy? Look into a pet-insurance wellness plan, which can still be purchased for older animals and, unlike accident and illness plans, should help cover preventive care. (Plans vary, based on factors like age and breed. While you could end up paying around $150 a month, it may be…

#1 / Shrimp With Garlic Butter & Olives ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4 ✓ Quick Cooking ✓ Gluten-Free 1 cup long-grain white rice1 lb. peeled, deveined large raw shrimp½ tsp. kosher salt1½ tsp. smoked paprika, divided6 Tbsp. (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-Tbsp. slices and softened, divided2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (from about 6 cloves)½ cup drained pitted Castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped½ cup chicken stock3 Tbsp. sherry vinegar¼ tsp. orange zest plus 1½ Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 orange)Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish COOK rice according to package directions. Cover and set aside. PAT shrimp dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. HEAT 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high until melted and bubbly. Add shrimp; cook,…