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height="170" align="left"/>These Memorial Day desserts include a bevy of treats that are perfect for Memorial Day picnics, barbecues and cookouts. Take my patriotic cupcakes. The red, white and blue cupcake base is topped with a buttercream frosting, then finished off with fresh blueberries. Festive, no?

For something classic, try my apple pie. What could be more patriotic?

My patriotic poke cake is always a bit hit, too. Unlike most poke cakes, it isn’t made with gelatin. And it’s red, white and blue inside. Decorate with any kind of white frosting (vanilla, cream cheese or buttercream) and fresh blueberries or raspberries.

Try all of these recipes, and post your reviews!

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Patriotic Cupcakes image by Stephanie Gallagher 2013, licensed to About.com Inc.

The New York Daily News is reporting that the Monday’s tornado tragedy in Oklahoma  may be the most expensive twister in history with an estimated $2 billion in storm damages. Sadly, the article notes that at least 24 people are dead and ten times that number have been injured.

That storm is being tagged an EF-5. And EF-1 ripped though the little village I live in a couple of years ago and I will never forget the damage of that less-significant storm. Many homes were flattened, families were left iwth nothing but the clothes on their backs, news helicopters cirled the area for three days and chain saws were heard frequently over the next week. Beautiful forests and wooded lots in subdivisions lost mature trees, like the one that was ripped up by its roots in my own back yard. Thankfully, we had no fatalities and the police and fire personnel were fantastic, ringning doorbells twice that night to ensure all was well in the homes that were still standing.

Like I’ve been saying every year around this time for the past several years in this blog, protecting yourself and other people and pets is top priority to avoid injuries or dead, but recovering financially after a tragic storm is still stressful even if you escape physical harm. Prove what you’ve lost in belongings and home damages to the insurance company, and the claims procedure goes much faster. Home inventory software gives you an easy way to document the cost of your personal items and to have photo proof to back up claims, so please learn more about this:

• Home Inventory Software: What It Is, How to Use It
• Windows and Mac Home Inventory Software Choices
• Online Home Inventory Software Reviews

Photo by Shelley Elmblad, family after local tornado

What’ve you been listening to lately? A couple of new releases that crossed my desk recently were the outstanding Santiman, from the Creole Choir of Cuba, and the very good Putumayo Presents Vintage France. Both very different, both worth your attention. Check out my reviews:

• CD Review: Putumayo Presents Vintage France
• CD Review: The Creole Choir of Cuba – Santiman

Are you a foodie? Do you love to eat new exotic foods, but limit experimenting on buying new items because of the price? If so, you may want to look into the relatively new monthly food subscription program being offered by (believe it or not) Walmart.

Walmart recently announced the launch of Goodies Co., a monthly food subscription service for foodies to savor delectable foods and discover new items. For only $7 a month subscribers receive a shipment filled with five to eight hand-picked taster samples ranging from healthy and organic to artisan and ethnic.

Each month, high-quality foods are arranged into a thematic selection such as “Flavors around the World,” and “Trick-or-Treat Sweets” for Halloween. November’s Thanksgiving theme was “Easy Entertaining” complete with gourmet foods such as wine biscuits, pumpkin souffle mix, dark chocolate infused Quinoa bars, and white cheddar popcorn among others. The delectables arrive in a gift box with a colorful information card that describes each food in detail.

Users can sign up for the service at Goodies.com. After they sign up their name is placed in line to receive an invitation to join the Goodies community. Once an invite is received and the user completes the subscription, they can receive their first Goodies Co. box within weeks. The service is $7 a month including taxes and shipping and is available in the continental United States.

Goodies Co. is the first to offer a large assortment of products for a total price that is almost half of the total value of the items if they were purchased separately. The total price for all of the items in the November box would be approximately $15 compared to the Goodies Co. $7 price. When subscribers discover a product they love, they can purchase full-size versions from the Goodies Co. “shop” link on the website.

Earn Loyalty Points

Goodies Co. also offers a social community online where subscribers can post reviews to earn loyalty points. These points can be redeemed in the future for boxes or items in the store.

See also: Coupons for Organic Foods

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height="170" align="left"/>These lenten recipes will not only help you enjoy the Lenten season with good food, but also appeal to the kids.

Start with my kid-friendly baked cod. It’s a simple, 5-ingredient recipe that tastes like fried fish, but with much more flavor and without all the hassle of frying.

For something a little heartier, try my vegetarian chili recipe. It’s loaded with protein and fiber (from two kinds of beans), but has no meat.

Try all of these recipes, and be sure to post reviews.

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Get my new Coping with Picky Eaters e-course – It’s free!

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Baked Cod image by Purestock/Getty Images 2013, licensed to About.com Inc.

The CEO of H&R Block, Bill Cobb, recently wrote an open letter to say, “I am offended that TurboTax® is targeting our 90,000 H&R Block tax professionals” in TV advertisements that he believes are false and misleading. Perhaps you’ve seen the ads, which feature a plumber or a woman working in a clothing store, both who have moonlighted as tax agents. Cobb goes on to say that TurboTax is not only trying to mess with the reputations of the tax professionals, but also sales clerks, plumbers and Americans who hold down two jobs.

You may have seen some H&R Block commercials that say you can’t get a tax pro’s signature on your tax return if you use tax software like TurboTax. I’m not taking sides on this issue, but found Block’s commercial to be ironic considering that it markets H&R Block At Home tax software against TurboTax every year. H&R Block decided to produce their ads after a judge dismissed the case they were trying to bring against Intuit to get the commercials taken off the air.

Read more details: TurboTax is taking cheap shots at H&R Block

• TurboTax vs. H&R Block At Home
• Top 5 Tax Software Reviews
• 4 Ways to File for an Extension Online