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bacon

The Ultimate Baked Beans

Itching to channel your outdoorsy side sans the mosquitoes?

Itching to channel your outdoorsy side sans the mosquitoes? This season, rely on smoky baked beans to bolster your camping daydreams. Here, Cooking in Pajamas shows you how.

Are baked beans a warm comforting dish for a blustery day, or are they the perfect side dish to serve at your Summer BBQ?
In my humble opinion, they're both. Nothing says Summer to me like a cookout with burgers and hot dogs, corn on the cob, and a side of baked beans. But then again, there is nothing quite as nourishing as a bowl of warm, comforting baked beans on a cold rainy day.

Nothing makes your house smell as good as a pot of homemade beans baking in the oven. Yes, this recipe cuts a few corners by using canned beans, but the final product will taste nothing like anything out of a can.

Keep reading for her baked beans recipe

Running

Why Morning Runs Make Perfect Sense in the Summer

Does the Summer heat making running outdoors impossible?

Does the Summer heat making running outdoors impossible? See the reasons why OnSugar blogger Ready to Run thinks running in the morning is the solution to your problem.

I've never been a morning person, let alone a morning runner. I've also felt that when I run in the morning, I get short of breath, my strides are uneven, and I'm more likely to get a side stitch. However, I went running in the morning a couple days this week, and although I felt pretty crap-tastic during one of my runs, I felt pretty good during my second morning run. Actually, I felt great. It was nice and cool in the a.m. (about 58 degrees), my breathing stayed pretty even, and I set a new PR [personal record] of 9 minute-per-mile! So I'm thinking that I might start running in the morning more often.

Here are some perks to morning runs:

1. It's generally cooler in the morning than it is mid-afternoon, so the morning, or running at dusk, is the best time of day to head out in the Summer, unless you enjoy being chained to your treadmill.

2. Most races take place in the morning, so you can get your body acclimated to the time of day that a race is being held.

3. If you live on a busy street, there aren't as many cars on the road at 5 a.m.

4. If you have a busy day ahead of you, you can get up early and just get your run done and out of the way, instead of waiting until later in the day, and then having to skip your workout.

5. Morning workouts actually help you wake up so that you're more alert throughout the rest of the day.

If that doesn't give you a reason to head out in the morning, I don't know what will! I'm off to run the Worcester Firefighters Memorial 6k, will post a recap within the next few days!

Check out more running tips at Ready to Run, and if you're inspired, then start your own blog using our OnSugar platform! Get started here.

community

Summer Dreams Are Made of This . . .

Here's a post from OnSugar blog House of Anaïs: A calm Summer day — rowing a boat on a lake and old-fashioned fishing, followed by relaxation with a book outside.

Here's a post from OnSugar blog House of Anaïs:

A calm Summer day — rowing a boat on a lake and old-fashioned fishing, followed by relaxation with a book outside. Who wouldn't love sunny Summer days!

summer dreams

Like what you see? Start following House of Anaïs to read more! Or start your own OnSugar blog, and maybe it will be featured here as well!

Food News

When Heaven Happens: The Commander's Palace Chef's Table

We're madly jealous of Food Orleans's recent meal at the chef's table in the storied Commander's Palace in New Orleans; a visit to this lavish restaurant has been on our travel bucket list for years!

We're madly jealous of Food Orleans's recent meal at the chef's table in the storied Commander's Palace in New Orleans; a visit to this lavish restaurant has been on our travel bucket list for years!


This is Commander's Palace. If it looks like a fairytale building, that's because it is. It's a place where stories are told, surprises happen at any minute, and everyone works together to entertain you and take care of everything you could possibly want. Prepare to be a princess, in other words.

Any time you eat at Commander's, it's special; from brunch on any Sunday to lunch on Thursday to dinner on Saturday night. But the best times to eat there are on holidays, like Thanksgiving, or special occasions: the birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries that are the most important days in the story of your life. I had a big ol' birthday this month; I turned 40. All I wanted was to eat at the Chef's Table at Commander's, and Paul, my wonderful love, he made it happen.

The Chef's Table is the ultimate experience of what Commander's Palace really does, which is nothing short of magic. The table is in the kitchen, right behind the grill line; you're not sheltered away in a corner — you're right in the middle of it. And the Commander's kitchen is quiet, controlled, and all business. As the sous chef, Jason Wells, who prepared most of our dishes that night explained to us (above), you can easily have a conversation in the Commander's kitchen, because there's no yelling. It's not like any other restaurant kitchen I've ever seen or heard of, save The French Laundry or Daniel or other places in the top tier of restaurants in the world. And the theatre of the kitchen is part of the experience of sitting at the Chef's Table.

Read more about her epic meal.

Summer decor

House of Anaïs: The Great Room Divide

Here's a post from the OnSugar blog House of Anaïs: Sticks are a cute and fun way to create a modern screen - fit for both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Here's a post from the OnSugar blog House of Anaïs:

Sticks are a cute and fun way to create a modern screen - fit for both indoor and outdoor spaces. They have a sleek design but at the same time are very natural with an old-fashioned feel.

Like what you see? Start following House of Anaïs to read more! Or start your own OnSugar blog and maybe it will be featured here as well!

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A Tale of Two Salmon-wiches

Between the Bread muses that while there's a time and a place for everything, a sandwich (or any meal truly) with a polished pedigree does not always beat out its simplified counterpart.

Between the Bread muses that while there's a time and a place for everything, a sandwich (or any meal truly) with a polished pedigree does not always beat out its simplified counterpart.

I've been on a salmon sandwich kick lately, and suddenly I'm finding them everywhere, including on my first visit to Wayfare Tavern. During a rainy lunch, I ordered the salmon club sandwich and a Pimm's Cup.

Featuring avocado-basil aioli, roasted tomato, and bacon on brioche, the sandwich was pretty yummy. Frankly, I'd pay $17 to spend every rainy afternoon at this cozy, bucolic tavern.

But while the fish was outstanding, the sandwich itself didn't seem worth $17 — especially compared to this salmon sammie I enjoyed at an impromptu barbecue in a friend's backyard.

Yes, it's much simpler, but the salmon was just as well-cooked, grilled just enough by my personal chefs, and served on a soft bun with avocado.

I'm not saying one sandwich is necessarily superior to the other — just that simpler and cheaper can be just as good.

Want more? Start following Between the Bread, then get to work on your own food blog. You could wind up featured here.

Money

Love, Pride, and Money: How Is It Affecting Your Relationship?

Ever wonder how money is affecting your relationship?

Ever wonder how money is affecting your relationship? OnSugar blogger Beauty and the Budget explores the issue.

I am well aware that women make less than men, even when they have the exact same job title, but I just can't seem to get used to it. My fiancé and I don't have the same job title nor do we work in the same industry, so I understand that there will be some differences in our salaries. But our salary difference has become one of the most difficult aspects of our relationship. I make five times less than my fiancé, and as a wannabe independent woman with high ambitions, it drives me absolutely nuts.

He's not a millionaire, so it's not like I'm trying to match his salary with unrealistic expectations. I'm not even trying to match his salary at all — I'd just like to make somewhere close to it. He doesn't mind paying for things, but when we get into a spat about finances, pride overcomes me, and I don't want him to pay for anything anymore. I'll start to feel guilty about accepting gifts or dinners, so I'll refuse them for a few days or weeks or until I forget about the argument we had about finances, whichever is first. It's not that I'm unappreciative of everything he does for me. Sometimes, I'm overwhelmed to be blessed with such an outstanding man. But I feel like I should be able to pay for everything myself and I feel guilty that I can't. 

Read on to find out more about her situation.

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Tartine Bakery's Triple-Threat Sandwiches

What happens when a sandwich lover like Between the Bread makes it to bread-baking mecca Tartine Bakery, tries multiple offerings on the menu, and shares her thoughts us with the rest of us?

What happens when a sandwich lover like Between the Bread makes it to bread-baking mecca Tartine Bakery, tries multiple offerings on the menu, and shares her thoughts us with the rest of us? We'll tell you what happens: everyone gets very, very hungry.

I am slowly eating my way through the sandwich menu at Tartine Bakery. First, I made a Tartine sandwich recipe at home, and now I've had the real deal, times three. These are no dainty french sandwiches but rather two-handed handfuls, cut into thirds, each third the size of a normal sandwich half. Check out photos from my first visit as well as a recent return with my mom in the gallery below.

Click through her slideshow, then be sure to follow Between the Bread for more sandwich goodness. For a permanent seat at our foodie forum, get to work on your own OnSugar Blog. Your culinary takeaways could wind up featured here.

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Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

For a different take on dessert popcorn, Life Above the Clouds demonstrates how to make corn pop with melted marshmallows.

For a different take on dessert popcorn, Life Above the Clouds demonstrates how to make corn pop with melted marshmallows.

Holy shmoly this stuff is delicious! It's caramel popcorn plus marshmallow goodness, and there's nothing wrong with that in my opinion! I was looking for a quick afternoon snack, and thankfully I just stocked up on marhsmallows for the Summer (can you say s'mores?). My only problem with this recipe is that it doesn't harden like regular caramel popcorn does, so I ate the gooey mess with a fork.

For more pictures and the recipe, keep reading.