Raines Realm

A wise person once said, "never confuse etiquette and manners. Bad etiquette is using your dinner fork on your salad. Bad manners is pointing out that someone used their dinner fork on their salad. Manners will always trump etiquette." To be clear, etiquette is very important. It is the silent code of respect among others. When we have a basic knowledge of etiquette and practice it daily, it is a type of security. Everyone knows what to expect. There are no surprises or uncomfortable situations. Dinners and parties run smoothly and it makes everything more enjoyable. Now, after we have all mastered etiquette, we still must understand and exercise manners. Accidents happen. Pointing out a situation and making someone uncomfortable is very poor manners. Ensuring that everyone is treated with respect should always be the first priority. Unfortunantly, all of the etiquette in the world cannot substitute for poor manners. For that reason, here are major infractions...

The holidays bring lots of delicious treats and and decadent dishes filled with nostalgia. And, we want to enjoy everything which generally means we sacrifice a few pounds on the scale to be able to have a little bit of everything. And that's okay, but now we want the weight gone! Here's the best habit to help you bounce back and maintain your weight. Stop snacking. I know, I know, even when it's not a holiday, we are bombarded with snack foods. Chips and dip, snack bars, candies, cookies, cakes, hand-held foods in every shape, size, and color. No food is off-limits, but you need not eat them in between meals to enjoy them. When you snack throughout the day, you're not allowing your body to truly be hungry at meal times. You're also adding in a lot of extra calories that your body really does not need. In a society surrounded by snack foods and the fourth meal drive thru option, we have become scared of hunger. Hunger is good. Not starving, but being hungry f...

When you first wake up and you're resembling something more out of a Romero movie than your normal self, blindly staggering towards the coffee, do you ever wish for an effortless breakfast that doesn't consist of packaged convenience food? This recipe is your wish granted! This casserole is so easy because you mix it the night before. So, in the morning, all you have to do is put it in the oven and, bam, home-cooked breakfast without the work first thing in the morning. This was perfect for our Christmas morning and will probably be a weekend favorite as well. The only thing that actually has to be cooked the night before is the ground sausage. You could even take that a step further though. During your meal prep daus, you could scramble sausage to freeze as well, making this recipe that much easier. This recipe is great for building onto as well. You could add onions, peppers, ham, bacon, tomatoes, anything that you would like in an omelet would probably work i...

We all think of a festive kiss when we think of mistletoe. We hang it up and let it work it's magic. And, that's about the extent of our concern with it. But what if it could do something really cool, like cure cancer? American mistletoe is toxic and should never be ingested. European mistletoe on the other hand, is used routinely to help cancer patients. Its estimated that around 70 percent of individuals fighting cancer are using mistletoe to help them win the fight. Medicinal applications of this healing herb originated in ancient Greece. It's history of use include treating convulsive disorders, menopause, hypertension, headaches, arthritis, and even infertility. In the 1920s, studies were conducted on its effect on cancer. It became widely used in Europe shortly after. Then, in 2005, a study concluded that European mistletoe can cause complete remission of pancreatic cancer. The results of study after study conclude the same. Mistletoe has a debilitating effec...

These chocolate spoons are so festive for this time of the year. They would make great last minute stocking stuffers...or you could keep them all to yourself! I still haven't quite decided what I'm going to do. These are perfect for anyone who loves taking their coffee or hot cocoa to a whole new level. For these, I use the plastic spoons that mimic actual flatware. I normally buy them from Sam's Club, but you can get them from most large stores. I think they really dress them up and  give them an elegant look. And, we all know that I like pretty things! If you're giving these as a gift, I suggest using cellophane bags to wrap them. You should probably add a tag that says what they are and what's in them depending on the toppings and add-ons that you use. I, personally, really like dipping them in crushed candy canes after the Chocolate. I just run them through the food processor for a few seconds. Its so easy and adds a festive touch! Chocolate-...

Christmas is almost here! Presents wrapped and under the tree, check. Goodies baked, check. Hot chocolate stockpiled, check! So, now that everything is ready, what are some fun things to do with your kids while you wait for Christmas day? Here's six fun crafts to occupy the rest of the week. 1. Painting mugs - this craft is so simple! All you need is some dishwasher-safe acrylic paints (less than $1 each at craft stores and Wal-Mart), painting supplies, and mugs (only $1 each at Dollar Tree), and painter's tape. Put down a drop cloth and have fun! After everyone finishes painting, let sit for one hour, then bake per directions on paint bottle. Fun works of art for the whole family! 2. Painting ornaments - such a fun craft to do with children of all ages! These are great for adding to your tree or for giving to family and friends as stocking stuffers. You can find the complete recipe with directions here . 3. Bird Feeder - if you like birds, why not make birdseed ...

Are you looking for an awesome gift for everyone in your list? Have you waited until last minute and want an easy and reasonably priced recipe that you can make yourself? Look no further, sugar scrub is your friend! This recipe is so easy and it works wonderfully. You can customize it by adding more or less sugar depending on the consistency that you want. The great thing about using coconut oil is that it doesn't leave an oily residue, so it can be used on the face and body! I suggest using lavender essential oil instead of peppermint. I know, I know, peppermint is all the rage around the holidays. But, peppermint oil can have detrimental effects on new breastfeeding mothers' supplies. So, instead of screening everyone on my gift list, I use lavender. Besides being such a mild and well-tolerated oil, lavender is also amazing for easing headaches and migraines, relaxation, skin irritations, and it can really lift your mood. It is such a great overall choice that it is ...

We've all been there at some point, where we sit down to a dinner party and have no idea what plate is for what or what fork to use first. Maybe it's because we haven't really attended very many dinner parties or perhaps we were so busy in the pursuit to adult that we missed this important lesson. Today I'm going to discuss the basics that will get you through practically any dinner party during this holiday season. You can watch a video where I go into more detail  here . -First, let's start with the flatware. Forks on the left, knives and spoons on the right. If you're setting a table and get confused, just remember that fork has four letters and so does left and knife and spoon have five and so does right. You may have a dessert fork or spoon above your plate as well. If you have a cheese spreader above your plate, you're in for a real treat because there will be a cheese course! Regarding flatware, always work from the outside in and from the top ...

Yogurt pretzels are a simple thing to make. They are fun and tasty, although the calorie count is not for the faint of heart! Seriously, don't look it up, just enjoy these little delectables a few at a time and you'll be fine. Moderation is always key and these pretzels taste so good that they're worth it. The first time I made these, the yogurt didn't coat the pretzel as well as I would've liked, so I ended up doing the process twice. You can watch that video here . To avoid that, you can make the yogurt mixture and put it in the fridge to stiffen up a little first and then proceed with the dipping and setting. This recipe would be a fun project for children. Getting to dip the pretzels into the yogurt would also be really good for developing hose fine motor skills as well as teaching patience. And, it's vegetarian, so for those with certain dietary restrictions, this can still be an acceptable snack. Another great thing about this recipe is that you p...

Sometimes it's the simple things that can make all of the difference. The holidays are busy enough that I'm sure all of us could benefit from these simple kitchen hacks. I personally utilize all of these tricks and they have really made my life easier. If you want to watch me go into a little more detail about these ideas, you can check out my video  here . 1. Baking Kits If you're going to be doing a lot of baking this season, making lots will save you a lot of time and headaches along the way. Pre-measure your dry ingredients for the recipes on your baking list and bags them separately in sandwich bags. Then combine them into a gallon storage bag and label it. This way, when you're ready to bake, all you have to do is grab your bag and then measure your wet ingredients. This is such a time saver! 2. Add baking soda when boiling eggs Add a tbsp of baking soda to the water when boiling eggs. This makes them so easy to peel which saves time and eliminates frus...

This recipe is a favorite of mine. It combines just the right amount of sweetness and it's a perfect addition to a cheese course! (More on that at another time.) Spreading this recipe over a cracker paired with goat cheese is an ultimate snack, appetizer, or addition to your cheese courses. At this moment, I realize I might be obsessed with cheese courses. I'll reflect on that. Seriously though, this recipe really takes minimal effort, you can easily do it while doing other things around the house. I recently made this whole also doing some holiday crafts and it was a perfect treat to enjoy after clean-up! A side note, this has a shelf life of about three days, but I doubt it will last that long. You can easily make it for gifts if you make it the day before or morning of the exchange. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Fig and Onion Spread Recipe 1/4 Cup Olive Oil 1 Onion (diced) 2 Cups Figs 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar 2 Tbsp Sugar Directions ( Step-by-step vid...

Sometimes, I can be pretty obsessed with my slow cooker. I love making big batches of delicious meals and then freezing half to enjoy later. It helps me save time and my family gets to enjoy a large variety of tasty dinners! I originally saw this recipe while I was watching How Jen Does It   on YouTube. She has some really amazing slow cooker recipes and this one really stuck out for me. I've changed a couple of things in her recipe based on my family's preferences and simplifying it to make it an even quicker dinner time option. A little tip when cooking in your slow cooker, spray it with nonstick spray first so that things don't stick. Nothings worse than saving the time cooking only to find yourself spending considerable time scrubbing over the sink after. I suggest serving this chicken over rice and topping it with sour cream and perhaps a little shredded cheese. You can use brown or white rice, whichever you prefer. Santa Fe Chicken Recipe ( Step-by-step vi...