In past December newsletters, I’ve shared recipes from my family’s Christmas Eve dinner that features Swedish meatballs, the heated adult beverage Swedish glögg and Green Goddess salad dressing. Now it’s time to tell you about the bread I make every year called limpa bread.

This Scandinavian bread was originally made from fermented brewer’s wort, a byproduct of beer making. While some recipes include stout beer as a key ingredient, mine uses molasses, orange rind, fennel and cumin seeds. Limpa is traditionally served at Christmas Eve smörgåsbords. Read more

In the wake of widespread economic woes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s “season of giving” comes at an especially crucial point for those who are in need. To help you make the most of your charitable giving in this needful time, we’ve reposted (and updated) the following article from 2017. Read more

Let’s face it—this Thanksgiving is going to be really different for most of us. My family started talking about how we might safely get together for the holiday back in October. All options were discussed, ranging from everyone doing their own “thing” to having a socially distanced barbecue outside. We also thought people could stagger their visits and stay outdoors (there are only nine of us) with some overlap. We all agreed on the main thing: it’s a pandemic Thanksgiving, so everyone has to be flexible. The final plan isn’t finalized and it will most assuredly evolve until we get closer to the holiday. Read more

It’s easy to get complacent when we’re all so distracted by what’s going on in the world. Unfortunately, distracted people can be easy targets for all kinds of scams, especially online scams. Here’s a case in point.

About three weeks ago, I received an email from an acquaintance asking me if I had an Amazon account (red flag). Nancy said she was having trouble with her credit card and wanted to buy a $200 Sephora gift certificate on Amazon to surprise her niece for her birthday, which was the next day (red flag). Read more

I’m happy to be writing for the Diamond Certified Consumer Report again after a short hiatus. Since March, so much has happened to all of us (I was in a scary car accident, my husband had foot surgery and I broke my leg to boot!) that I don’t really know what getting back to “normal” means right now. But let me share a few observations.

Most of us are beginning to resume some activities, albeit with many adaptations. I’ve continued having groceries delivered, but now I make brief forays into stores that have best practices. Read more

With wildfires threatening residential areas in multiple parts of California, Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency. Once again, Northern California residents must grapple with fire, heat, and smoke affecting their homes and communities.

As previous wildfire events have taught us, recovery is a slow and often confusing process. Below, you’ll find resources to help you get started and make sense of your options.

You can visit our wildfire preparedness page for information on preventing future wildfires. Read more

Do you know how to get the best rates on a rental car? Watch this video for some helpful tips. Read more