Tailgate burger tricks

Tips For A
Perfect BurgerA juicy, tasty burger is the cornerstone of a successful tailgate party. Follow these foolproof tricks for a perfect burger every time.

FRESH IS BEST

It should go without saying that the best-tasting burger begins with fresh, high-quality beef. Don't make the mistake of relying on pre-made frozen patties. To get that unbelievably juicy burger, start with ground chuck, ground sirloin or good ground beef with 20 percent fat.

KEEP IT COLD

Make sure your meat is securely wrapped before placing it in an insulated cooler and packing with ice. Proper food storage mandates that your meat remains at 40 F or below. The meat should be fresh and cold when you prepare it for the grill.

be gentle

Don't overwork your meat, either. Use a gentle hand with your patties. The less you handle them, the juicier they'll be. Also, don't pack your patties too tightly. This can cause your burger to dry out and become tough. Keep the patty loose.

Don't squeeze... indent

We've all seen people take a spatula to a burger while it's on the grill and squeeze it in an attempt to flatten the patty. Do not, under any circumstances, squeeze your burgers. It does not flatten them; all it does is squeeze out the moisture, leaving you with a dry, tasteless burger. Combat bloated burgers by making a small indentation in the center of your burger with your thumb as you form the patty.

DON'T FLIP OUT

Resist the temptation to flip burgers repeatedly. Flipping only once will help maintain maximum juiciness. Allow the first side to cook fully before flipping. You'll know the first side is done when the juices that come to the top are clear.

WHEN TO GLAZE

Wait until right before your burger is done before adding any glaze. Most glazes contain sugar, which burns easily over high heat.

REST, DON'T RUSH

Your burger is now grilled to perfection, but don't rush to taste your creation. Let the meat rest for a couple of minutes to allow the juices to redistribute evenly. Once you've allowed your burger to rest, nestle it into a soft, fresh bun, dress it with condiments and other toppings, and enjoy your masterpiece.

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Simple ways to prevent a yeast infection

If you're suffering from a yeast infection, you aren't alone. Up to 75 percent of women will have a yeast infection in their lifetime and over 40 percent of women get more than one.

Tips to avoid a
yeast infection

If the itching, burning, discharge and other discomforts of this medical condition are a regular occurrence, see your doctor for treatment and take the following precautions to reduce your risk of getting a yeast infection.

Boost your immune system

Your immune system helps fend off all types of infections, including yeast infections. Taking care of your health is one of the best ways to ensure your body is functioning at its peak. Adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep and effective stress management tactics to boost your immunity.

Opt for yogurt

Probiotics get a lot of press for promoting good bacterial balance in the digestive tract, but probiotics may also help you avoid getting a yeast infection. Read labels and reach for yogurt that contains "live and active cultures." Since taking antibiotics can also put you at risk for a yeast infection, be sure to have an extra serving or two of probiotic-rich yogurt while you're taking them.

Stay dry

Resist the temptation to hang out and chat with your BFF after spin class. Meet her after you hit the locker room and change into dry clothes. The warm dampness of your sweaty workout wear is an ideal environment for a yeast infection to grow.

Cotton is the way to go

Since yeast thrives in damp environments, breathable fabrics like cotton can help prevent yeast infections. Wear only cotton underwear or undies with a cotton panel in the crotch. Same goes for pantyhose -- wear only the kind with a cotton panel.

Loosen up

Tight pants are fine for that special date or outing, but wearing tight-fitting attire every day can put you at risk for a yeast infection. This doesn't mean you're sentenced to a life of thin, baggy pants. Simply wear clothing that allows your female region to stay cool and dry. Swap out your tight pants for a flattering dress -- you'll be more comfortable and might prevent an infection.

Don't douche

Douching may sound like a great idea to stay clean but it actually puts you at a greater risk of a yeast infection and can even cause an infection to spread beyond your vagina. The chemicals in douches and scented feminine products can cause an imbalance of bacteria in your vagina, which may lead to a yeast infection.

Wipe right

To keep bacteria from getting transferred from your anus to your vagina, wipe from front to back after using the restroom.

More on women's health

Diet tips for easier periods
Diet tips to prevent menstrual cramps
6 Simple tips for an easier period

Classic Hanukkah Homemade cinnamon applesauce

Homemade is
always better!

Take a little extra time and make homemade applesauce. You'll never buy store-bought again.

Add this homemade applesauce to your Hanukkah feast.

Homemade cinnamon applesauce recipe

Recipe adapted from Jewish Holiday Cookbook

Yields about 1 quart

Ingredients:4 pounds apples2 cinnamon sticks1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1/2 cup apple cider, plus more if needed1 tablespoon lemon juiceHoneyDirections:

Peel, quarter and core the apples.Place the apples in a heavy pot with the cinnamon sticks and nutmeg. Add the apple cider and lemon juice . Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally. If the pot gets too dry, add some extra apple cider.Cook about 20 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Remove the cinnamon sticks.Put the sauce into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.Taste the applesauce and adjust sweetness as desired with honey.

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Adorable sheep cupcakes

The Cutest Cupcakes You've Ever Seen!Need a fun, adorable dessert for a baby shower or birthday party? Don't spend a bunch on store-bought goodies. Instead, make these almost too cute to eat sheep cupcakes!

Aren't these just the cutest thing you've ever seen? Not only are they perfect for any spring occasion, they are easy and cheap to make, only taking an hour start to finish! For some added fun, dye a few mini-marshmallows black so you can create a "black sheep" too!

Adorable sheep cupcake recipe

Adapted from Land O' Lakes

Yields 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:1 box of your favorite cake mix and ingredients to make (we used banana)1 jar creamy vanilla frosting1 bag mini-marshmallows24 Ferrero Rondnoir candiesWhite cupcake icing gel42 mini-chocolate chips1 bag black licoriceDirections:1Mix & bake cupcakes

Mix the cake mix with the ingredients called for in a large mixing bowl. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for the time called for on the box. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

2Frost & add marshmallows

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with the creamy vanilla frosting.

Add the mini-marshmallows to the frosting and cover it completely.

Leave a space open for the head.

3Add head, eyes and ears

Place a Ferrero Rondnoir candy onto the spot you left open.

Using your white decorating gel, place two small dots for eyes. Stick mini-chocolate chips into the white to make the pupils.

Poke two little holes on the top of the candy for the ears.

Cut the licorice into small pieces and stick into the holes to make ears.

4Add tail & enjoy!

Cut a little licorice piece and stick into the back of the cupcake for the tail.

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Cucumber cups with skinny artichoke dip

Skinny Artichoke Dip In Fun Cucumber CupsSkip the chips and serve a fun appetizer in a cucumber! This is a great way to get that taste you love with a fraction of the calories. Feel free to make it your own and replace the dip with your favorite hummus or guacamole.

I started making these years ago after seeing cucumber cups on Iron Chef. I'm a little embarrassed at the amount of time it took me to figure out how to make these little gems because it couldn't be easier. All you need is a melon baller.

Cucumber cups with skinny artichoke dipIngredients:4 long English cumbers1/4 cup Greek yogurt4 ounces cream cheese (fat free for lower calorie)1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry6 ounces artichoke hearts, drained1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (plus additional to taste)1/4 teaspoon garlic powderSalt and pepper to taste Directions:

Peel the cucumbers, cut into 1-inch sections.Use a melon baller to scoop out most of the middle, leaving a good portion of the walls and bottom intact.In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients.Fill cucumber cups with dip.Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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4 Food additives to avoid

Food additives are added to foods regularly to enhance their flavor or shelf-life. Though they may make the food look prettier, they're often not doing your body any good. Let's take a look at four additives you should avoid.

Worst food additives

The most common food additives today include artificial sweeteners, titanium dioxide, transfat, citric acid, nitrogen, sulfates and more. Food additives are everywhere and found in some of our most favorite foods. Though some aren't bad for us — for example, thiamin mononitrate sounds scary but really is just a fancy name for vitamin B1, others are harmful, and we need to make sure we try and avoid them. Here are the top four food additives you should be on the lookout for.

1Partially hydrogenated oil, or transfat

Fast foods and processed foods typically contain transfat. Even though it's one of the most dangerous substances, the FDA still allows it. Food Matters states that consuming transfats regularly increases your risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes and other heart-related issues. It can even be found in certain pie crusts, pastries, chips and margarines. If you find yourself with fast food as your only option, choose a salad with minimal dressing.

2High fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup is found in just about every processed food imaginable. It's a leading cause of obesity, heart disease, cancer, tooth decay and more, according to Hungry for Change. Since it's extremely high in calories, consuming even small amounts can be bad for your health. If you haven't noticed just how much high fructose corn syrup you're consuming, start by reading food labels and replacing processed foods with fresh fruits and veggies. You should notice a difference in how you feel immediately.

3Food dyes

Typically, we don't think of food dyes as bad for us, but they are. Most sodas, salad dressings, sports drinks and juices contain food dyes and have been linked to lower IQs. Again, Food Matters states that certain dyes cause chromosomal damage, thyroid cancer and tumors. Other foods you'll want to avoid, or at least eat sparingly, include macaroni and cheese, ice cream and cherry pie filling.

4Sodium nitrate

Sodium nitrate is commonly used in processed meats — such as ham, bacon, hot dogs and lunch meats. It gives these meats their red color, making them look more appetizing, but is actually extremely toxic to the body. Sodium nitrate is a carcinogen that mostly affects the liver and pancreas, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). As of now, it's still commonly used in meats because there is no alternative. We recommend limiting or avoiding these types of processed meats whenever possible.

More nutrition tips

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Could the foods your child eats cause bad behaviors?
Surprising nutrition tips for spring

Preventing accidental overdose Acetaminophen is in many medications

Avoid An ODBefore you take doses of more than one cold, allergy or flu medication, you should take a good close look at the labels, to make sure you won't be taking too much acetaminophen, a medication found in a lot of sleep medications, pain killers, decongestants and other over-the-counter medications.

Avoiding overdose"The problem is that acetaminophen is included in a lot of different products, including sleep aids," says John T. Slattery, professor of pharmaceutics in the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. "Some of these products contain medications for congestion and the headache associated with congestion, and the stuff in there for headache is very likely to be acetaminophen. The way these products are marketed by just their trade names, you can be combining several different products and not be aware that each of them contains acetaminophen. The only thing you can do to protect yourself is read the labels."

It helps to know that a safe dose for the average adult is two 500mg tablets of acetaminophen, four times a day.

"If you're going to exceed that dose, or take that much for longer than 10 days, you really need to talk to your physician, nurse practitioner or pharmacist about what is a safe dose for you," Slattery says. "Some recent data showed that people taking 12 grams a day-- three times the recommended dose -- for three days, run a significant risk of developing serious liver toxicity. Even though this drug is sold over the counter and is very safe at recommended dosages, you don't have to go very far outside the therapeutic range to run into some trouble."

Does this mean you should give up using acetaminophen products completely? Slattery says that's not necessary. "Acetaminophen, sold under the brand name Tylenol and others, is really very benign for most people at therapeutic doses," Slattery says. "Aspirin and some of the other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and even bleeding for some people, even at normal doses. Over the course of a year, more deaths in the United States can be blamed on aspirin and gastrointestinal bleeding than can be blamed on liver toxicity caused by acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is the safer alternative."

The bottom line is that acetaminophen is safe taken as directed. Spotting it in several medications on your bathroom shelf should be a cause for caution, but not for alarm.