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First things first: There is a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa. The former (also known as drinking chocolate) is made from solid semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate; sometimes with an addition of cocoa powder, milk, and heavy cream, with perhaps a little sugar or vanilla extract. The latter is made from cocoa powder, sugar, and hot milk or water. Start with a master recipe for rich and chocolatey hot chocolate, and then add a few of our favorite indulgent upgrades—all of which are as easy to make as they are deliciously decadent....

The only “problem” with October—despite all its fall glory—is that it tends to fly by so quickly that, come November and December, we’ll have let it slip by without enjoying what it has to offer. Before the month is up and winter is truly here, why not do one or two quintessentially fall activities with friends, your kids, your partner, or simply on your own? There are so many ways to relish in the season’s offering both big and small, near or far from home....

What Kind of Wild Animals Will We Encounter? In our backyard, which is four acres of mostly woods, there is a fox den—with actual foxes living in it. Those foxes (while beautiful to see occasionally wandering around our yard) have killed all of our chickens, and one even stole my infant child’s sun hat that fell out of a stroller. We’ve spotted wild rabbits, deer, skunks, porcupines, raccoons, mice, and rats, and one year—when our raspberry patch was especially robust—a black bear, which nearly gave me a heart attack....

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Take a Simple Approach While a king bed is an excellent way to keep a restless partner from ruining your slumber, it can be tricky to find the right accessories for king beds. Just shop smart to get a look that will last. By keeping scale and color in mind, as they did here with this not-too-tall, grey upholstered headboard, the bed feels finished without being so loud it takes over....

Reader question: I have inflammation when cleansing, and I know it’s not from the products I currently use. Are there any types of ingredients or products I can apply that help lessen inflammation? — Erin Smith Inflammation can mean a lot of different things, but skinflammation (inflammation of the skin) is especially tricky to pinpoint. For starters, it can manifest in a number of ways, such as redness, dark spots, itching, breakouts, and/or swelling....

“You can move freely without being attached to, or even contracted by, a weight machine,” says Olson. “Functional moves make us better at the things that really matter in our everyday lives, such as squatting down to pick up groceries or reaching overhead to put something on a shelf.” For equipment-free strengthening, try this bodyweight exercise program, which was designed by Olson, four times a week for six weeks. In that time you’ll get stronger overall, which translates to a tighter physique, says Olson....

But it’s not just an expert technique: If you love all things DIY beauty, you can adopt this approach at home, because—spoiler alert—it’s actually pretty easy. Here, brow experts explain what eyebrow mapping is, plus the easiest way to do it. What Is Eyebrow Mapping? “Brow mapping is a process used to create symmetry between both brows when styling,” explains celebrity brow stylist Melanie Marris, CEO and founder of Brow Code....

According to the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic, black soap is well known in African cultures as an ancient remedy for healthy skin. In Nigeria, black soap originates from the Yoruba words “ose dudu,” and is composed of palm oil, cocoa pods, and other ingredients produced in traditional methods. It’s characteristically known for its ability to improve uneven skin tone, razor bumps, and overall texture and quality of the skin....

Out of hundreds of clever ideas, these are some favorite new uses for old things. These particular upcycling hacks solve several household problems and use things like rubber bands in dynamic ways. So put them to the test around the house, and you’ll be amazed by what a little ingenuity can do. Courtesy of reader Linda Winterhoff of Williamsburg, Virginia Courtesy of reader Peggy Gilchrist of Zanesville, Ohio Note: This is not a childproof method for storing your pills....

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Best Organic Delivery Services of 2022 Best Overall: Sunbasket Best Value: Daily Harvest Best Vegan: Sprinly Best Gluten-Free: Fresh N Lean Best for Families: Green Chef Best for Active Folks: Trifecta Best Premade Meals: RealEats Pros and Cons Overview Key to Sunbasket’s mission statement is its goal of using “100 percent organic fresh produce in all our meals.” Those meals have global flavors that incorporate creative flavors with comfort classics. Menus have included Burmese beef khow suey in coconut-curry broth, and penne with butternut squash, pumpkin, and sage....

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This pull through braids hairstyle looks playful, polished, and as if it took a lot of skill—but it’s super-easy to achieve. It’s popular, too. Influencers Amber Fillerup and Chrissy Ramussen have rocked the look or have done it on clients—with pigtails or a single pony version, respectively. Watch the video above or follow the steps below to try this hairstyle yourself. What You’ll Need A hairbrushA handful of elastics—the amount will depend on the length of your hairA curling ironFinishing or texture spray...

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Finish the tagliatelle pasta with more walnuts and thyme leaves. The result is hearty, comforting, and original. This recipe serves four, but a hungry duo wouldn’t be hard-pressed to polish off the entire batch. Serve with a light, peppery red wine like Pinot Noir or an acidic white like Gruner Veltliner. Related Video

P.S. Though gnocchi is potato-based, most are not gluten-free. Check the packaging if you’re cooking for someone with a gluten sensitivity, or substitute with cauliflower gnocchi for a gluten-free and keto-friendly dish. Related Video

What is tryptophan? Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that’s a vital building block for protein in the body. There are 20 known amino acids, nine of which cannot be created within the body and must be consumed in the diet, thus considered “essential.” Tryptophan fits under this umbrella. Research has found that tryptophan also plays an important role in the gut microbiome-brain connection. This is because it’s a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is key for main functions, including healthy sleep, hunger, pain recognition, and emotional processing....

RELATED: How to Fix a Credit Card Error Before It Impacts Your Credit Report Permanently If you notice a potential error, ask your doctor’s office about it. They may be able to resubmit your claim with corrected coding. “I also recommend asking your insurer how a procedure needs to be coded to get covered,” says Donovan. RELATED: 8 Savvy Ways to Save on Pricey Prescription Drug Costs How to Prevent Problems Know your network....