Tabla de contenidos para November 2023 en Real Simple

DID YOU KNOW that the Your Words column, featuring readers’ responses to a question we post on social media, is one of the most popular in the magazine? It’s always near the top when we ask folks to rank which articles they most read and enjoyed. I like to think that’s because our audience is more than an audience—it’s a community of like-minded superfans from all backgrounds who dig our content and, consequently, one another. That last part is key: We’re respectful and mutually appreciative, and we enjoy exchanging opinions about cleaning and organizing and, y’know, life. We got a ton of great responses to this month’s question: “What oddly specific thing are you thankful for this year?” We tend to see loads of brilliant, thoughtful lines in the…

My stand-up paddle-board. It gives me my recreation, my getaway, my workout, my therapy, and my meditation. CAROLEE RITTER LINCOLN, NEBRASKA Septic inspectors! We bought a new home last summer, which required a septic inspection. I appreciate knowing we’ll be able to potty with peace of mind in our new place. EMILY JARRETT FLAT ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA I’m thankful for my wind chimes. I have a deep-toned set outside my living room that blows in the breeze while I’m reading, and a smaller set outside my bedroom that lulls me to sleep. ROBERTA JORGENSEN MARSHALL PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA My concealer, which really does cover up the dark circles under my eyes! MARCIA HUNT OAK PARK, ILLINOIS Our 12-year-old dog’s breath. Almost two years ago, he was diagnosed with a tumor…

TREND TO TRY Sculptural Chairs These functional works of art are the definition of sitting pretty. MISTAKES YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE MAKING Setting the Table Sarah Pecaut and Amy Burstyn Fritz, sisters and cofounders of the supercool dinnerware brand Misette, serve up some tips so you don’t fork this up. You Wait Until the Last Minute “Sometimes a setup can look amazing in your head but will need readjustments when you lay it all out,” Burstyn Fritz says. Try to do your tablescape the day before. That will give you time to zhuzh. Bonus: You can check “set the table” off your to-do list! You Forget the Centerpiece You don’t need anything elaborate, but you do need something to add personality and polish, Pecaut says. Her best tip?…

1 SMOOTH OPERATOR This beauty tool is a life shaver (heh). Gently rub the crystalline side of this reusable stone in a circular motion to remove hair and exfoliate skin. Our testers’ legs came out oh-so smooth. Crystal Hair Eraser, $39; bleame.com 2 BUZZWORTHY LIGHT Attach this little bugger to a window by its suction cup and the solar-powered panels in the wings will make its tush glow. Lightbug, $16; ototodesign.com 3 SUPER POWDER Sunscreen is a year-round must; having an oily face isn’t! This SPF powder gives you protection and a little glimmer with a few strokes of a brush. (Glow)setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF 35, $35; supergoop.com 4 CAN OPENER If you have a kitchen trash can, you know the struggle of pulling out that darn bag. This…

Everything Dolly Parton touches turns to bedazzled gold. The 77-year-old’s empire is worth an estimated $440 million and includes a catalog of more than 3,000 songs, a popular theme park, coveted perfumes, baking mixes with Duncan Hines, collectible clothing, and beloved charities, like the Imagination Library, which sends kids a free book each month from birth to age 5. For her latest project, she’s releasing a new book of her own (her eighth!), called Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones ($50; penguinrandomhouse.com). In it, you’ll find photographs of Dolly’s private costume archive and her thoughts on her most iconic getups, including the early-career coat of many colors and Playboy Bunny suit. We talked to her about it, and about her nonnegotiables. Drugstore Beauty Products “I’m a very low-maintenance…

GRATITUDE SEEMS LIKE a simple enough concept. After all, one of the first things we learn as kids is to say thank you. It’s a cornerstone of polite interaction! As we move into young adulthood, with the habit firmly in place, saying thanks can become rote, required. (And feeling gratitude is not most teenagers’ strong suit.) As grown-ups, when pressures pile up, schedules become busy, and our never-ending to-do lists get priority in our work-addled brains, we don’t always do much better. We often go through the motions, appreciation-wise, or forget about it entirely. But with the winter holidays fast approaching, now seems like a good time for all of us to hone our thanks-giving skills. What, Exactly, Is Gratitude? Good question, says Eric Zillmer, PsyD, professor of neuropsychology…

RECIPES FOR REAL LIFE Though available year-round, sprouts hit maximum nutty-sweetness after the first frost. SHOP Buy them loose, still on the stalk, or in a ready-to-cook bag (whole, halved, or sliced). Look for firm veggies with tight leaves. Avoid any that are yellowing or smell extra cabbagey. STORE Refrigerate in an airtight bag or container for up to three days; they can start to turn bitter after that point. SERVE Brussels sprouts shine when roasted or fried until crisp and golden in spots. Or thinly shave raw sprouts and add to salads with lemon, olive oil, and plenty of Parm.…

ACTIVE TIME 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 55 MINUTES SERVES 8 Cooking spray2½ cups old-fashioned regular rolled oats1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree1 large apple, shredded on largest holes of a box grater1 cup whole milk2 large eggs, beaten½ cup pure maple syrup, plus more for serving2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice2 tsp. pure vanilla extract1 tsp. baking powder½ tsp. kosher salt½ cup chopped walnutsVanilla whole-milk Greek yogurt, for serving PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. STIR together oats, pumpkin, apple, milk, eggs, syrup, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Scrape oatmeal mixture into prepared baking dish. Even out mixture with a spatula and sprinkle with walnuts. BAKE until puffed, set, and browned, about 35 minutes. Let…

TIERS OF JOY No pantry? No problem! This two-tiered shelf has a tiny footprint (less than a foot long) but still fits up to 20 bottles. The cute opaque canisters to the right keep bulk spices and spice packets (mmm, onion soup mix!) hidden and fresh. Steel Organization Caddy, $35; theyamazakihome.com Threshhold Round Spice Jars, $30 for 12; target.com for similar Sowden Tins, $15 each; us.hay.com HANGING AROUND Attach this pull-out drawer to the edge of a shelf to add storage for up to seven jars. No tools needed! CupboardStore Under-shelf Spice Rack, $17; us.josephjoseph.com RISE ABOVE A step up from regular old risers, this one adjusts to fit the width of your cabinet. Brightroom Bamboo Expandable Spice Rack, $20; target.com LIE LOW These nonslip foam strips come in…

Q VIRGINIA ASKS… A long time ago, my uncle embezzled a lot of money from the family business, practically ruining my dad. My uncle lived happily ever after while the business and my parents’ health suffered. Now his daughter wants a relationship with me, and I struggle because she knows nothing about the crime and adores her father. Should I tell her the history or let it lie? I’m really sorry that you and your family had to go through this. As someone who has had many difficulties with family, I always find that communication is healing. Sometimes people aren’t ready to hear what you have to say, but you’ll feel better, and perhaps an open and honest dialogue will help you start fresh. While it may take time to…

WHAT’S THAT? You’ll spare no expense when it comes to your little Dumbledog? And you want nothing but the best for him? Yeah, same. So we asked top vets and trainers for some of their favorite stuff to spoil pets with. Because if you’re going to buy something, it should do what it’s supposed to—for more than two minutes. And you want your pet to like it as much as you do, says Andy Roark, DVM, a veterinarian in Greenville, South Carolina, and the host of the podcast The Cone of Shame. “We’ve all seen cats prefer the box a toy came in over the toy itself, or dogs sleep next to the new bed, not on it,” he says. These products get two paws up from the pros and…

#1 / Tortellini With Sausage & Greens ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 4 ✓ Quick Cooking ✓ Freezable ✓ Make Ahead 1 20-oz. pkg. refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini1 Tbsp. olive oil8 oz. mild or hot Italian pork bulk sausage1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (from 3 cloves)2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for topping¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for topping½ cup heavy cream1½ oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup), plus more for topping8 cups packed spinach leaves, chopped escarole, or chopped kale¼ tsp. kosher salt COOK tortellini according to package directions. Drain. MEANWHILE, heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Break sausage into small clumps and add to pot. Cook until deeply browned in spots, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once…

Readers Say… Definitely! “In this economy, it’s the five-minute rule.” @BILL.BENTLEY.5682 “A little dirt ain’t gonna hurt! Our immune systems need to be built up!” @NLJ333 No Way! “Would I eat anything that touched the bottom of my shoe? For five seconds? No. And no. Same goes for any floor. No. And no.” @SWEETCHEF55 “I have a one-second dog, which means the five-second rule is null and void.” @BECCASMITH628 Sometimes “Depends on how much I really want what I dropped. And if it happens at home, it’s OK. Otherwise, absolutely not!” @EJBUBBA “Only if it’s dessert.” @MCLINER The Experts Say… Check out our podcast, Minor Issues, Major Opinions. We debate this hot-button issue even further in episode 2! The only rule at play once food hits the floor: Eat…

Are you suddenly finding that a certain food (say, shrimp or peanut butter) leaves you feeling meh, running for the bathroom, or even itchy or wheezy? You may have developed an adult-onset food allergy. After years of studying allergies in children, Ruchi Gupta, MD, founding director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research at Northwestern University, started to notice more adults experiencing new, not-so-great reactions to foods. So Gupta and her team conducted a survey: Of the 40,000 adults they spoke to, 10% reported having food allergies, and a quarter of those said they got the condition as grown-ups. Though we still don’t know exactly why food allergies are becoming more prevalent among both adults and kids, Gupta says one reason may be that we’re exposed to fewer…

1 THE MILKY WAY If I’m going to add a step to my routine, it has to make a big difference. This does. I press the liquid into my reactive cheeks after cleansing to cut redness and get the signature glazed-doughnut glow of the line’s founder, Hailey Bieber. Glazing Milk, $29; rhodeskin.com 2 JOY STICK My trick for beating the winter blues and the skin blahs: I swipe on a few layers of this highlighter before foundation, and a warm sheen comes through. Vacation Glow Highlighter Stick, $39; ysebeauty.com 3 SPOT STUFF Created by two Indian American women who wanted to brighten brown spots without altering their skin tones, this serum uses alpha hydroxy acids and antioxidants to reduce marks in as little as two weeks. Lion Pose Unspotted 4X…

THIS ISSUE HAS a lot of ideas for making Thanksgiving less stressful, and one of the easiest ways is to not overthink the wine. I spoke with three professionals with deep knowledge and experience—Ray Isle, executive wine editor at our sister brand Food & Wine and author of The World in a Wineglass; Katja Scharnagl, beverage director at the acclaimed restaurant Koloman in New York City; and Cha McCoy, a certified sommelier and the founder of The Communion Wine + Spirits, a shop and event space in Syracuse, New York. They all said, in essence, that we can chill about the vino. Whether you’re hosting or bringing a bottle to the festivities, here are their gulpable tips. Forget Pairings “Ignore the food, and think about the people.” That’s Isle’s philosophy…

RECENTLY A MIDDLE-AGED friend of mine joked that he doesn’t need to buy any more novels—he barely remembers the ones he’s already read, so he can just pick one off his shelf and start fresh. Another friend had to do calculations to figure out whether she was turning 52 or 53 (or maybe 54?). We’re at that stage where we’re forgetting names and looking for the reading glasses that are on top of our heads. While we’re laughing, we’re also wondering: Is this something I need to worry about? After more than a few of these discussions, I started to dig into the research and talk to some experts. I am a health editor, after all, and at this point in my life, a lot of my work starts…