How to Make a Farmhouse Bench One of the best ways to bring the family together for dinner is with a farmhouse table and bench. Learn how to make your own DIY bench below, or customize the measurements to fit your table or room layout. Supplies Needed 1 x 4 x 96-inch pine board1 x 8 x 96-inch pine board2 x 4 x 96-inch wall studTape measureMiter sawDrill/driverPocket-hole jigClampsWood glue1-1/4-inch coarse-thread panhead pocket-hole screws2-1/2-inch coarse-thread panhead pocket-hole screwsPine pocket hole plugs1-1/4-inch wood screws...

Besides not requiring mortar, a dry-set wall doesn’t need a footing. It will flex as the earth moves due to freezing and thawing, but it won’t fall down. For this kind of durability, however, you must select stones with as much surface contact between them as possible. Where the contour of the stones form spaces that could cause the stone to move, fill in with small pieces of stone. You’ll also need bondstones—long, flat stones that are long enough to span the front and rear wythes of the wall, tying them together....

How to Carve a Turkey: Step-by-Step Carving a turkey is an important part of any holiday feast, but it can be a daunting task for first-timers and pro slicers alike. Luckily, we have step-by-step tips for carving a turkey. We’ll walk you through the best way to carve a turkey so you’ll be ready come Thanksgiving dinner. The first step to carve a turkey is really not a step at all....

Types of Hedge Trimmers Let’s start with some basics on hedge trimmers. There are three main types of trimmers: gas powered, electric, and battery-powered. Most often you’ll find gas powered trimmers used by commercial landscape companies, while electric and battery-powered trimmers for home use. Depending on the size of your yard, the thickness of the branches you’ll be cutting, and the amount of money you’re willing to put into a trimmer, you have many options to choose!...

But…let’s face it. When you spot a tumble of clams in the fresh seafood case at the market, they can look a little intimidating. With their dull, grayish/brownish tightly closed shells (sometimes with some sea-stuff clinging to them), they don’t even look much like food! You have to scrub, soak, and cook them before they’ll reveal the fresh, sweet, delectableness inside. Fortunately, learning how to clean clams is much easier than you’d think....

Get creative with your vegetable garden design. Consider creating a series of decorative raised beds with wood-chip- or gravel-lined paths between. Check out photos of historic French gardens for inspiration – they’re beautiful and efficient.Plant vegetables with their looks as well as flavors in mind. Alternate, for example, pretty purple cabbage with snowy white cauliflower in a row. Or experiment with planting in blocks and clusters rather than rows for a more decorative effect....

When building one yourself, there are a few things to keep in mind. A flexible metal track speeds and simplifies the construction of the wall whether you utilize metal or wood studs. The track shown is also available in a model that accommodates 2x6 studs. Making your own curved track from standard channel is a bit tedious but not especially difficult. Making plates from solid wood or laminated plywood is another option, but it can consume significant amounts of both materials and time....

How to Freeze Pancakes For the most part, you can freeze and reheat just about any kind of pancake. Just make sure you freeze the pancakes while plain, before adding any syrup, butter, or other toppings (those come after you reheat!). But feel free to freeze buttermilk, buckwheat, chocolate chip, blueberry, or other fruity pancakes—they should all freeze and reheat to be just as delicious as any pancake fresh off the griddle....

Conventional heating systems create temperature zones in different parts of a room. These zones can make sections or levels of the room uncomfortable and prompt you to raise the heat setting to warm up the cool spots. Radiant floor heating warms the entire area to a consistent, comfortable temperature. It also heats without blower noise and dust. Most homeowners can expect to spend several days installing radiant heat flooring and should have electrical experience....

So begins the chili cookouts, baking with kids, and for Liz, the decorating. A pro at seasonal design, she shares decorating stories on Instagram @desertdecor. Toward the end of September, she starts dressing rooms in an autumn layer. Neutrals, like feathery pampas stems, keep the look low-key and complement the home’s subdued palette—but a few weeks later, she’s in Halloween mode, hanging witch hats and accenting fall displays with spiders....

Cheese Platter Essentials Start with the star of the platter: Cheese! When you’re brainstorming cheese board ideas, remember that it’s best to provide a few different varieties of cheese, since your guests’ tastes can vary. The mix of flavors and textures also makes the tasting experience more fun, and you or a guest might discover a new favorite, especially if you include a couple of offbeat cheeses. For a basic board, include at least one of each of three different types of cheese—a hard cheese, a soft cheese, and a blue cheese....

Use kraft paper to create a pattern the size of the pillow form. Mark the top center of the pattern. With one back fabric piece right side down on your work surface, use a sewing gauge and iron to fold up and press 1 inch of one 18-inch edge. Fold the raw edge into the pressed fold to create a 1/2-inch fold. Pin in place. Editor’s Tip: Many sewing projects are constructed with “right sides together,” which means the wrong side, or back, of the fabric is facing out....

What You Need Wood frame or canvas stretcher, 12x16 inchesRuler3/4-inch nailsHammerPencilDowel, cut to frame sizeScissorsCardboardPainters tape Step 1: Mark the Frame Measure 1/2 inch from the inside corner on both short sides of the wood frame. Mark spots. Measure 1/2 inch in from the long sides of the frame. Continue measuring across the bottom of the frame in 1/2-inch increments. Repeat along the top of the frame. Hammer nails into marked spots....

How to Make Brownies Step-by-Step When searching for the best brownie recipe, start by deciding on the texture you want to achieve: Do you like fudgy brownies or cake brownies? The best part about making brownies from scratch is you have all the control—once you understand the function each ingredient serves, you can tweak their amounts to make the recipe your own. In many brownie recipes, the proportion of flour to other ingredients is significantly lower than what baked goods like cookies or cake require....

Cookie Sheet Tips You don’t need many pieces of special equipment to make homemade cookies but a quality cookie sheet in good condition can make all the difference when you make cookies. Here are some tips from our Test Kitchen to use when shopping for pans. Replace cookie sheets that are warped or dark from years of baked-on grease.Purchase shiny, heavy-gauge cookie sheets that have very low or no sides.Be sure cookie sheets fit easily in your oven with one to two inches of space around the pan....

How to Make Croutons This easy method for basic baked croutons is going to be a go-to anytime you have stale bread. Learn how to make croutons for Caesar salad (and the best salad your dinner table has ever seen) with this easy oven method. Step 1: Prepare the Bread Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cube or tear bread to make 3½ cups (this will yield eight ¼-cup servings). Aim for ¾-inch cubes or pieces....

How to Make Meatballs When it comes to DIY meatballs, there are three essential components: meat, binders, and seasonings. There are endless variations when making homemade meatballs, so here is a basic guide on meatball ingredients to get you started. Ground Meat: Choose ground beef, veal, pork, Italian sausage, lamb, bison, turkey, or chicken. Some recipes call for a mix of two or more ground meats. Lean ground meat works well and makes the meatballs more healthful....

How to Make Deviled Eggs We’ll be using our classic deviled eggs recipe for this step-by-step process, but it will work for whatever version you prefer. Step 1: Boil Eggs Ensuring you have properly-boiled eggs that also peel well is key to making deviled eggs look their best. Use your favorite method for boiling eggs. If you’ve struggled to get them just right in the past, try our Test Kitchen’s favorite way to make hard-cooked eggs (by steaming!...

‘Grace N’ Grit’ roses are hardy in USDA Zones 4–9, which includes the majority of the country. In addition to freezing winters, they can also take the heat in the summer. This variety is disease-resistant too, so common rose problems like black spot and powdery mildew are less likely to spoil your blooms. When they’re mature, each plant will reach about 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, making them a beautiful choice for the center of a garden bed, border, or even growing in containers....

Of course, it wouldn’t be a party without a champagne cocktail or a tasty dessert, and we’ve got those too! Our curated menu ideas will make your holiday party one to remember. New Year’s Eve Menu Ideas Try one of these festive menu ideas for a New Year’s Eve party that’s so impressive no one will know it was super easy. New Year’s Eve Appetizer MenuTraditional New Year’s Eve MenuElegant New Year’s Eve MenuMake-Ahead New Year’s Eve MenuPotluck New Year’s Eve MenuVintage New Year’s Eve MenuBreakfast-for-Dinner New Year’s MenuNew Year’s Eve Pizza Party MenuNew Year’s Eve Chili Cook-OffBBQ New Year’s Eve Menu...