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10 Powerful Pet Hair Vacuums (Even on Hardwoods)!

Sara Yoo — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:24:11 PDT

Will the fight against pet hair ever end!? Short of shaving your furry pal, the solution to the problem seems like a losing battle. Never fear: we've found 10 vacuum cleaners with powerful suction to suck up this hairy situation.

See one you love or hate? Share your opinions or reviews on the corresponding slide!

Source: Thinkstock

The First Lady's Minty Spring Pea Salad

Lauren Hendrickson — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:07:30 PDT

Fresh green peas are the first sign for Spring and since they have a short season, I always get my fill before they disappear come Summer. And just in the nick of time, I spotted a new recipe from Michelle Obama's upcoming book, American Grown.

The First Lady's pea salad calls for peas, shallots, leeks, and mint, all tossed together with a healthy cream dressing.
After shelling the peas, they are quickly blanched and immediately soaked in an ice bath after cooking to ensure they don't end up mushy. The whole process, which might sound a bit complicated, actually takes just a few minutes. Michelle's recipe originally called for adding puréed peas into the salad, but since I already had my blender out, I opted to add the lemon juice and olive oil in with the pea purée for an even smoother dressing. The result was a spring salad that'd be great to bring along to a seasonal party, since it can be made ahead, and the flavor only gets better with time.

My advice: run to the farmers market before all the year's peas are gone, then make this spring pea salad recipe.

Trench Time! 9 Great Trench Coats For Your Stylish Little Girl

Lisa Horten — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:15:34 PDT

Jacket weather is almost behind us, but until Summer's officially started, it's a good idea to bring along a little something for those chilly afternoons. Trench coats are a Spring staple for many city slickers, and there's nothing cuter than a scaled-down-to-size version for tiny tots. Your pint-sized fashionista will look fab, whether her style is classic khaki or a fanciful floral print.

Pack a Compostable Picnic

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:30:23 PDT

It's shorts-wearing season, and what better way to catch some rays than to pack a leisurely, afternoon picnic? Keep Mother Nature looking good by loading your picnic basket with compostable dinnerware items. It's easier than ever to purchase plates, cutlery, and cups that are 100 percent biodegradable and made from natural sources like corn and sugar-cane fiber. Click through to take a look at all the recommended items you'll need. Now go dust off the checkered blanket, and start whipping up your favorite picnic treats.

In Season: Cherimoyas

Sara Yoo — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:07:06 PDT

Don't be fooled by the cherimoya: though this fruit resembles a tiny dragon curled up for a nap, it's quite the opposite from a sour-tempered, fire-breathing reptile. With a texture that resembles custard or ice cream, the cherimoya surprises with a sweet flavor that tasters liken to a blend of bananas, pineapple, papaya, and strawberry. And fortunately for us, it's in season for another few weeks. To learn more about how to prepare this produce curiosity, just read on.

Rev Up Warm-Weather Recipes With Radishes

Susannah Chen — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:40:45 PDT

At first blush, the humble root known as the radish may not look like much. But take a closer look (and taste) at these diminutive vegetables (which are in season across the country), and you'll discover they're just what you need to add flair to your springtime meals. Humble and plentiful, they impart a peppery, almost horseradish-like zing to anything from salads to sandwiches. Not sure what to do with your bunch? Then turn to these six recipes for inspiration.

Radish Tartines	Taco Salad	Jicama Coleslaw
Roast Chicken With Radishes	Butter-Braised Radishes	Steak and Pineapple Salad

Perfectly Seasonal: Asparagus, Scallion, and Cucumber Salad

Lauren Hendrickson — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:40:21 PDT

With all the green around you right now, give this very Springy salad a chance: a bed of asparagus, topped with cucumbers, scallions, and a zippy Dijon dressing is bound to make you fall in love with the season if you haven't already.

This is a perfect picnic or party salad, since the the dressing, asparagus, and green onions can be prepared a day in advance, provided they're stored separately before being quickly assembled. The finished salad is a hearty side dish that could easily double as a meal for two. Get the recipe for this crunchy green salad when you keep reading.

10 Amazing Avocado Recipes

Nancy Einhart — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:48:52 PDT

In California, we've been getting some awesomely delicious avocados lately. Chalk it up to avocado season, which runs from Spring to Fall. Even if you don't live in the Golden State, chances are, that green fruit you're savoring is from here anyway. 90 percent of the nation's crop comes out of California. From sandwiches and salads to salsas and other tropical-tinged flavor combinations, avocado is surprisingly versatile. Here are 10 of our favorite ways to enjoy it.

18 Spring Activities to Get Your Geek on

Laura Marie Given — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:42:00 PDT

Whether you prefer to be in the kitchen or on the road, we've come up with several creative ideas to keep you busy this Spring. Looking for some new pastimes? From DIYs to nerdy day trips, we've got 18 fun, geeky ideas to get you through the season.

Have a documentary marathon: Not sure where to start? Check out Frozen Planet, a seven-part series from the team behind Planet Earth, to learn more about climate changes (and adorable animals!) in the Poles.
Become an amateur astronomer: Pick an especially clear night and look at the stars with the 5 Stars Astronomy Guide App. It's simple: hold your phone to the sky and you'll learn all about the constellation in front of you.
Host a Comic-Con party: Get your pals to dress up as their favorite comic book characters and go for bold, bright decorations. Keep your favorite comic-inspired flicks playing in the background and serve drinks in these Vintage DC Comic Tumblers ($125 for 6).
Try a coding class: Do a bit of research to find local coding classes at a community college. Sign up solo or invite your Internet-obsessed pals to join so that you can help each other learn the HTML ropes.

Keep reading for more geeky things to do.

Perfectly Seasonal: Nasturtium Pesto

Lauren Hendrickson — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:37:10 PDT

How does your garden grow? Now that the weather in California's started to warm, all of the vegetables in mine have finally started to grow! Nothing's quite large enough to pick yet, except for a few nasturtium plants, which are growing like weeds.

When life gives you nasturtium leaves, make nasturtium pesto! I used the traditional ingredients in a basil pesto, but substituted the basil with a big bowl of hand-picked nasturtiums.

See what I topped with this condiment, then make your own version of this fresh pesto.