For most parents, cuddling up at the end of a long day with your child after they have had a bath to read a bedtime story is one of the best times of the day. But what if the following day's event has your child wound up and anxious, full of questions and doubt? A peaceful night's rest is highly unlikely for either of you. On these occasions, we recommend heading to your local library or bookstore in search of assistance.

No matter the topic or theme, books help children prepare for some of life's scariest firsts.

Books help break down what to expect, describe first-time jitters and present realistic scenarios that children can identify with, and because they are children's books, they are non-threatening, use language that is easy to understand and are often beautifully illustrated.

Best of all, books encourage an open dialogue with your child and provide a point of reference for parents who might not normally have the right words to address the situation.

It's not just about reading the books

According to Ingrid Kellaghan, child-development expert and founder of Cambridge Nanny Group in Chicago, "The National Association for the Education of Young Children advises that reading books that feature simple text, illustrations, and everyday situations engage young children and can prepare them for many of life's milestones. But it's not just reading the books; the NAEYC advises parents and caregivers to also discuss the books. While reading a story, pause and ask the children how a character in a story might feel or ask them to suggest ideas for solving the character's problems."

As parents it is our jobs to help our children adjust and embrace any given situation with comfort and ease and having a guideline is the perfect way to tame those butterflies and ease young worried minds.

SheKnows recommendations

No child's bookshelf should be without a title or two from The Berenstain Bears series, which has been around for over 50 years. This delightful series created by Stan and Jan Berenstain covers dozens of issues our children face every day, including: Bullying, greediness, bad manners, poor sportsmanship, visiting the doctor and dentist for the first time, online safety and childhood obesity.

Some of our other family favorites suitable for children ages 3-8 include:

• School readiness: The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing
• Introducing a new puppy to the family: Muddypaws by Moira Butterfield
• Potty training: Potty Animals: What to Know When You've Gotta Go! by Hope Vestergaard; Prince of the Potty by Nora Gaydos
• First sleepovers/separation anxiety: Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber; The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
• Introducing a new baby to a sibling: The New Baby by Mercer Meyer; I'm a Big Brother / I'm a Big Sister by Joanna Cole
• Coping with divorce: Dinosaurs Divorce by Marc Brown

More about helping children with their fears and anxiety

Books that help kids overcome fears
Tackle or dismiss your child's fears?
Teaching children to think positively

Blair Waldorf — Gossip Girl

With Blair it’s all about texture and bright colors — the only darkness in the Upper East Side’s favorite girl is Chuck Bass. Here are five essentials you’ll need to bring your preppy style to a sexy Manhattan level for Halloween.

• Tights — Red, white, black, blue — Blair has pulled them all off. Stop by H&M and pick up the pair that goes best with your dress or textured skirt.
• Textured skirt — Texture, texture, color and texture. Blair’s skirts are officially iconic. Pick a versatile, bright piece you can wear with a white or colored blouse, like these gorgeous wool pencil skirts from J. Crew.
• Heels — Make a statement. Go colorful if you can, but stay true to your skirt or dress with neutral if needed. We think Blair and your wardrobe would love J. Crew’s mint-green suede pumps, that also come in other NYC-appropriate colors.
• Headband — Blair brought headbands back in vogue, and you can’t achieve her legendary rich look without one. Forever 21 has a beautiful pearlescent bow headband for under $10.
• Collared shirt — Pick out a collared shirt or blouse you know you’ll wear again. Blair would love this polka dot sleeveless top from Topshop. Tuck it into your skirt, curl your hair and congratulations, you’re Blair Waldorf.

Holly Golightly — Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Holly Golightly’s little black dress is timeless and iconic — a must for all our wardrobes. Throw on any piece from this famous outfit when you want to ramp up your glamour and practice classic style beyond Halloween night.

• Little black dress — Thankfully the most important part is easiest to find, but finding the one that speaks to you can take some time. We recommend this versatile sleeveless “Look the Part” dress from ModCloth.
• Statement necklace — Diamonds and pearls worth millions of dollars would be fabulous, but luckily for the more budget-aware, there is Forever 21. The store is perfect for costume jewelry that sparkles. This emerald cut collar necklace is dazzling. Feeling extra Audrey? Pair with some pearlescent pearls.
• Costume earrings — Ears have to sparkle too. All eyes will be on you with these sparkling drop earrings.
• Tiara — No Holly Golightly is complete without a tiara.
• Black heels — Five-inch platform pumps aren’t allowed, as Audrey practiced grace and poise. This basic heel court shoe from Zara is tasteful and chic.

Zooey Deschanel — New Girl

Everyone will recognize your costume if you dress up as the adorable, stylish and quirky Jess from Fox’s New Girl. The look is easy to achieve as well, and who knows? Maybe you’ll decide to incorporate a little Zooey into your style afterwards.

• Solid fitted and flared dress — We’re banking Jess would pick a bold and bright style when it comes to her flirty dresses. Rumor has it she would buy this lovely cherry twist rib skater dress from Topshop in a quirky heartbeat.
• Black rim glasses — Go conspicuous and extra-geeky when it comes to eyewear. Hot Topic has a great pair for only a few dollars. They make an edgy accessory post-Halloween.
• Dark brunette wig with bangs — Those bangs and messy hair are everything when it comes to becoming Zooey Deschanel. This one is the epitome of Jess.
• Heels — We say Blair and Jess would share shoes if they knew each other. These J. Crew mint-green suede pumps work for the New Girl star too.

Anna Wintour — Vogue editor and the real “devil” who wears Prada

Your fashionable friends will recognize you and your oblivious friends will want to be you. The inspiration behind Meryl Streep’s character in The Devil Wears Prada and September Issue star is a lesser known celebrity but makes an equally fabulous costume. The most fashionable woman in the world has a surprisingly achievable look.

• Short wig with blunt bangs — She has had her signature short haircut with blunt bangs since being a teenager. It’s iconic and never changes, but few can pull it off. Here is a wig that will do the trick with a little trim.
• Dark sunglasses — So Anna, so cheap.
• Structured patterned dress — She loves patterns and structure and always sticks to a posh dress. We can see Anna in this chic floral number from H&M.
• Statement necklace — We would pick another piece from Forever 21, but Anna doesn’t do cheap. It’s easy to see this gorgeous statement necklace from J. Crew around Anna’s neck — the woman isn’t afraid of risky color combinations.
• Cell phone — Just use your own and have it in your hand at all times .

More stylish Halloween costumes

How to make a Where's Waldo Halloween costume
How to make a Katniss Everdeen costume for under $30
How to make an inexpensive Rosie the Riveter costume for under $30

Photo credit: Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com, WENN.com, FayesVision/WENN.com, Brian To/WENN.com

fall fragrance

Making sense
of scents

As Oscar de la Renta once coined it perfectly, fragrance is an invisible dress. It's time to dress appropriately and transition your fragrance wardrobe into fall 2012. This season, we are seeing the release of some of the most exciting and potentially classic scents in recent fragrance years.

Perfume tips and news

Quiz: What's your fragrance personality?
Types of perfume: Finding the right fragrance for you
Love at first scent: The science behind fragrance lust

It was the sex tape no one wanted to see: Hulk Hogan gettin' it on with his best friend's wife. Hogan says he didn't want to rest of the world seeing it either, so when his BFF Bubba the Love Sponge implied that the former wrestler sold the tape himself, he lawyered up.

"You know I have surveillance. You knew of everything going on," Bubba said through the media to Hogan. "But now that your feelings are hurt ... you're trying to cover your a** with your wife and your jobs and your social standing."

Turns out being slapped with a $100 million lawsuit makes people rethink things. Bubba issued a lengthy apology to Hogan — real name Terry Bollea — on his radio show yesterday, although it was sped up really fast like the legal jargon at the end of a car dealership commercial.

"After further investigation, I am now convinced that Hulk Hogan was unaware of the presence of a recording device in my bedroom. I am convinced he had no knowledge that he was being taped. Additionally, I am certain that he had no role in the release of the video. It is my belief that Terry is not involved, and has never been involved, in trying to release the video, or exploit it, or otherwise gain from the video's release in any way," he said.

Hulk Hogan's sex tape has 'rattled' his wife: Sources >>

"Regrettably, when Hulk filed the lawsuit against me, I instinctively went on the offensive. The things I said about him and his children were not true. I was wrong and I'm deeply sorry for my reaction, and for the additional pain that it caused Hulk and his children on top of the pain that they were already feeling from having learned that Terry was taped without his knowledge, and the public release of the video."

"I am committed to helping Hulk and his attorneys find whoever is responsible for the release of the tape and holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

Hogan is still pursuing his $100 million suit against Gawker Media for publishing the video on their website.

Image courtesy WENN.com

From dives to pubs to upscale restaurants, there are a lot of exciting food choices to check out. All we ask is that you go hungry and with plenty of pounds . Plus, those sexy British accents make everything sound more delicious, wouldn't you say?

Best city breakfast

If there's one thing Londoners do right, it's breakfast. There are a few great places that are known for their big English breakfasts . A local favorite is Becks Cafe on 28 Red Lion St. It may be divey on the outside, but this cheap little eatery has great food and is located right in the heart of London. For just £5.50 , you can get a full English breakfast and a coffee or tea; not bad right?

Another favorite is the Guildhall restaurant . They serve a full English breakfast for £15 that comes with plum pudding, sausage, black pudding, fried eggs, hash brown, grilled mushrooms and trotter-baked beans. If you're nursing a hangover, get your breakfast with a Black Velvet, a mix of Guinness and Champagne or the Grenadier, which is made from spicy tomato juice, lemon juice and an IPA.

Great pubs for grub & brews

Going to London and not visiting a pub is like going to Chicago and not eating a hot dog. If you're feeling a little homesick but still want to experience the authentic London pub, check out Duke's Brew & Que located at 33 Downham Road, N1. According to Time Out, Duke's serves ribs that taste like they were smoked in the deep south of America. Wash down the finger lickin' main course with a bottle of British beer, like Smog Rocket from Beavertown Brewery in Hackney.

If you're craving an authentic taste of old school London, head to Princess Louise on High Holborn WC1. You'll think you stepped back into the high times of 19th century London. The etched glass, old school bar lamps, private drinking spaces and wooden panels attract tourists and locals alike, and the cheap prices keep them coming back. If you're hungry, you can also grab some traditional English pub food here, like deep-fried fish and chips.

Upscale dinner & cocktail spots

After a day of visiting Buckingham Palace and Big Ben, a girl's bound to get a little hungry so hit up Orrery in the West End for dinner. This fancy neighborhood restaurant has views of the Marylebone Church Gardens that are almost as spectacular as the food. To ensure you get a taste of everything Michelin star chef Igor Tymchyshyn whips up, opt for a few selections off the dinner a la carte menu [PDF]. We suggest the parfait of foie gras, apple chutney and Poilâne toast and the Melanosporum black truffle risotto served with soft herbs and Parmesan. Start your meal with some cheeses from the decadent cheese trolley.

Another favorite for a divine meal in London is Gordon Ramsey at Claridges. Although he owns seven restaurants in the city, the eatery at the Claridges hotel is by far the swankiest. The decor is very Art Deco with touches of deep purple, gold and white. The menu is classic European with traditional English touches, like pan-fried monkfish tail with lobster, celery purée, braised lentils and Madeira jus or the English garden peas and broad beans with Dorstone organic goat’s curd and roasted walnuts. If you have seven or more in your party, request the Chef's Table, so you can sit in the kitchen, talk with the chef and create your own meal.

More big city food guides

Foodie's guide to Paris
New Orleans: The cheap girl's guide for the Big Easy
Best U.S. cities for foodies

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie normally has nothing but vitriol for President Barack Obama, but today he is praising the president for his swift response to the state's devastation at the hands of Hurricane Sandy.

More than 2.4 million New Jersey residents are without power today and many coastal neighborhoods are under several feet of water. Three residents of the state were killed by the vicious storm.

"I have to say, the administration, the president, himself and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate have been outstanding with us so far," Christie said on Good Morning America. "We have a great partnership with them."

Barack Obama exposes the roots of Donald Trump's ire >>

"He worked on that last night with me… offered any other assets that we needed to help," Christie said. "I want to thank the president personally for his personal attention to this."

"I have a job in New Jersey that is much bigger than presidential politics," Gov. Chris Christie said later on Fox & Friends. "I couldn't care less about that."

During an appearance on Today, Christie explained that the president designated the state as a major disaster area during a midnight phone call, making it immediately eligible for federal relief funds.

Jimmy Kimmell's New York debut canceled by Hurricane Sandy >>

"I think we're going to get significant federal assistance on this," the governor said. "Listen, if I have to make cuts in the budget in other places to make sure that we afford this, I will do it, but it's too early to tell on that."

"I think the losses are going to be almost incalculable."

Hurricane Sandy battered the Northeastern United States last night, causing a total of 94 deaths in the Caribbean, U.S. and Canada.

Image courtesy Carrie Devorah/WENN.com

On November 6, 2012, the entire nation will watch as we choose the next president of the United States of America. There's no reason why your kids can't watch with you as the states turn red and blue on the broadcasts as the results roll in.

Watch the votes roll in!

Make Election Day a family-friendly event and use it as an opportunity to teach your kids about the importance of voting.

Stars, stripes and decorations

Considering 4th of July is still months away, it could be challenging to find patriotic party supplies, unless you have one of those amazing party supply super stores nearby! Oriental Trading Company is a great resource for everything that sparkles red, white and blue, from decorations to fun hats to mini-American flags. And, they ship quickly, so there is still time to place an order and have it arrive by November 6.

If you're aiming to keep things a little more low-key, red, white and blue balloons go a long way to transform your home into a patriotic palace. Or, get your kids involved in the decorating action, having them make American flags to hang around the house. Having a party where everyone attending is voting for the same candidate? You can go crazy decorating with Obama or Romney swag — both have campaign logos that are fun and could easily be recreated at home to be used as window decorations. The most important decoration you'll need at an Election Day party is a television to watch as the numbers roll in from across the nation!

These 4th of July crafts for kids can easily double as Election Day party decorations! >>

Politically awesome games and activities

Traditional party games have never been as fun as they are on Election Day and it's so easy to adapt games that your friends and the kids already know into Election Day versions. Instead of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey," try "Pin the Beard on Abe Lincoln." A favorite like "Duck, Duck, Goose" can become "Governor, Governor, President."

Take things out of the ballot box and create your own mini-mock election at the party! Pick two kiddos to run for president, including funny hats for speeches, debates on issues about whether chocolate or vanilla ice cream is better and a vote at the end of the night to "elect" the president of the party. Not only will it be fun and a great way to kill the time between election results, it's a good chance to teach your kids about the basics of the election process.

Make it fun for the adult guests too! Before they arrive or just as they walk in the door, have them write a list that predicts the order that the state results will be announced. Or, make it even easier with having them guess which states will turn red on the screen and which will turn blue.

Keeping it in the purple zone

Even though presidential elections are all about politics, when throwing a kid-friendly Election Day party, it's best to leave politics aside, as to not turn the party into the fourth debate where both candidates went off script and said what they really wanted to. There's nothing wrong with rooting for your candidate at the party, but warn your adult guests that any potentially heated political discussions are off-limits. We suggest putting a sign on the door that reminds guests that your house is a "purple zone" — where red and blue come together to have fun on Election Day.

More on the election

Teaching kids about the presidential election
How do you talk to your kids about the presidential election — and mudslinging?
Election 2012: What moms should know

Things are heating up on Chicago Fire. This week, two of the guys from Firehouse 51 must deal with annoying issues involving recent calls. Chief Boden must deal with lawyers as the city investigates the death of a homeless man in a recent fire. Meanwhile, a dirty cop continues to stalk Matt Casey about his decision to include his son in a report he filed. Things are tense at the station as the guys try to put out these fires.

Last time on Chicago Fire, Matt Casey was called to the scene of an accident. Once there, he discovered that the accident was alcohol related and that the driver responsible was Detective Voight's son. Voight tried to convince Casey to alter his report, but Casey refused. It looks like Casey's decision to play by the rules will continue to cause beefs between him and Voight.

Chief Boden is facing his own drama. When he and his men were called to the scene of a warehouse fire, things were already out of control. A peek inside provided a view of someone who'd passed out. While at least one of the guys was willing to go back in, the chief said it was too unsafe and pulled the guys back from the building. A few seconds later, there was a flash.

The victim was a homeless man, and now his brother is raising a ruckus. If the chief pulled back when there was still a chance of saving the man, a lot of people could be in serious trouble.

It's also Halloween in Chicago. That means costume parties full of clumsy, drunk people accidentally hurting themselves, with the EMTs stuck with the job of dealing with the consequences.

As things continue to go awry for Firehouse 51, everyone just might be feeling a little bit cursed.

Images courtesy of NBC

More about Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire: Hazing season begins
What you should know about Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire's 5 smokin' firefighters

Vegan apple quinoa cake

Serves 8 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup uncooked organic quinoa
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
• Nonstick cooking spray

For topping

• Honey to drizzle
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Carefully clean your quinoa and then put to cook on stove . Not sure how to cook quinoa? SheKnows has you covered.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F and oil and lightly dust 8 x 1-1/4-inch pie pan with flour .
3. In a medium to large bowl, combine and mix together the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking flour and sea salt.
4. In a separate medium to large bowl, combine and mix together all other ingredients: cooked quinoa, almond extract, vanilla extract, applesauce and agave nectar.
5. Combine both bowls of ingredients and mix together
6. Once well mixed, put into your pie pan and smooth out.
7. Put in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Once out of the oven, allow to cool for 20 minutes.
9. Once cooled, carefully let cake slip out of pan and onto large plate. Once on that plate, gently flip right-side-up onto serving plate.
10. Start to decorate your cake by dusting confectioners sugar evenly over your cake. Then drizzle with honey and top with your almonds.

Buon appetito!

More fall-inspired recipes

Healthy fall desserts
Top 8 fall-friendly recipes
Warm and spicy fall cocktails

Celebody: Kelly Monaco

Kelly: “I have my own garden”

Dancing with the Stars all-star and champ Kelly Monaco brings us behind the scenes of her dance rehearsals and shares her diet and fitness tips.

General Hospital star Kelly Monaco was the very first winner of Dancing with the Stars and now she’s back to try to claim that title again as Season 15’s all-star.

Sweet treats and staying positive

“I have a sweet tooth,” says Monaco. “Twix is probably my favorite [candy] or Reese's. I actually got a bag of [Halloween candy] the other day and I lined up my favorites.”

With her current dancing schedule though, she can afford the candy calories!

“Dancing is such a good form of exercise, and you don’t feel like you’re exercising,” she says.

More than anything, though, staying positive is the key to good health, Monaco says.

“You just have to be happy,” she tells us. “Put a smile on your face — you’ll burn more calories if you smile. I’m having the best time right now.”

Read on for more Celebody

Get Anne Hathaway's Catwoman curves
How to get Kim Kardashian's bootcamp booty
Lose 60 lbs like Janet Jackson

Photo credits: WENN.com, ABC

One of the hottest celeb moms also has some Obama gear for your kiddos. Beyonce and mom introduce Obama-inspired baby clothes >>

Take a little break from the hard-hitting political decisions and vote in the SheKnows Parenting Awards of 2012 >>

We understand if you'd rather keep your own political opinions from your kids. After all, they can't vote yet, let alone choose which political candidate they prefer . Instead of a shirt that endorses one side or the other, let them show a little patriotic pride this election day focusing on the good old red, white and blue, reminding us that no matter who your choice for president is this year, we're all American.

More on the election

Talking to tots about the presidential election
Election 2012: What moms should know
NBC to air SNL election spoof for the 2012 election

Dinner together benefits the whole family

Families that practice good communication — whether it be in a vehicle or at the dinner table — are more likely to have children that are substance- free, notes the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. But the family dinner ritual brings with it many other benefits, including the opportunity for kids to learn social skills.

For the modern family, a nightly dinnertime — where everyone is in attendance — may be impractical or even impossible, but that doesn't mean the idea should be abandoned altogether. The point is not what's served, but rather engaging children in meaningful conversation and establishing dinnertime as a family routine.

What do you think: Is the family dinner still important? >>

Take a shortcut

If you're seriously strapped for time and energy, take advantage of readily available shortcuts such as take-out and frozen food. Frozen pizza with a salad becomes a feast when served on fancy dishes and colorful placemats, and you needn't sacrifice nutrition for the sake of convenience. Take-out roast chicken with veggies, pad thai and chicken burritos are all vitamin-packed dinner options.

Check out these family dinners that the kids can make >>

One creative family we know started this tradition years ago. Their children, who are now in high school and college, recall it fondly.

The premise: Eat like a Viking warrior — with your hands! No silverware is allowed.

The menu: Let each child take a turn selecting the evening's menu. Encourage them to pick foods that are fun to eat with the hands — the messier the better! Some ideas include spaghetti and ice cream.

Tips: Dress the part! Encourage your kids to make helmets and shields out of materials you have around the house. Cover the dining table or picnic area with a plastic tablecloth, for easy clean-up. Want to make this a movie night? Maybe you can watch How to Train Your Dragon!

This one is a Saturday night tradition at our house.

The premise: Just as it sounds.

The menu: Select food to go along with the theme of the evening's feature, or let each child pick his favorite menu . Some suggestions: "Lady and the Tramp" featuring spaghetti and meatballs or "Finding Nemo" featuring fish and chips.

Tips: Eat dinner first, then for a treat serve dessert in the family room while watching the movie.

The premise: Have foods for dinner that represent every main color of the rainbow — red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.

The menu: Try baby carrots and sliced celery for an appetizer or as a side dish. A pasta dish with red sauce, with yellow squash or yellow bell peppers mixed in or on the side, can be the main course. Follow up with blueberry cobbler or another berry treat for dessert. As for the color violet, add a few drops each of red and blue food coloring to whipped cream for the dessert, or to ranch dressing to make a purple dip to serve along with the veggies.

The premise: Letting the kids get creative in the kitchen!

The menu: Let the kids help design the menu, crafted around an ethnic or seasonal theme. How about pizza night or garden and grilling? Assign each child an age-appropriate task: The youngest kids can tear up lettuce for a salad, your middle kids will love to roll out pie dough and older, more responsible kids can cut veggies and stir sauces with supervision.

Tips: Expect to get messy — play clothes and aprons are strongly suggested!

Family-friendly menus and recipes

5 Dinners for less than $10
Dinner recipes for the family
15-Minute gourmet family meals

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Maria Hill is in the house. The special agent has landed a spot in Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The character first appeared in last summer's The Avengers, where she served as Director Nick Fury's right-hand woman.

SheKnows interviews The Avengers' Cobie Smulders >>

Cobie Smulders plays Hill and will reprise the role for Cap's latest outing. The Winter Soldier will serve as a reunion for her, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Jackson. The film will also include the introduction of Anthony Mackie, who'll play Captain America's sidekick, The Falcon.

Celebrity interview: Anthony Mackie is the "black friend" of Hollywood >>

Speaking of sidekicks, Cap's former partner Bucky Barnes has gone to the dark side. He's now a deadly assassin who goes by the code name The Winter Solider. Barnes won't be alone in wreaking havoc. There's also another villain in the fold, by the name of Crossbones.

According to Variety, Crossbones will be played by Frank Grillo. He's an actor's who's been extremely busy over the past few years. He recently starred in Warrior, The Grey and End of Watch. Next on his schedule is Gangster Squad and the highly anticipated Zero Dark Thirty.

Crossbones is a familiar character featured in the Captain America comic. He's been portrayed as a gangster and henchman for The Red Skull. You may remember Red Skull, as played by Hugo Weaving, from Captain America: The First Avenger.

Captain America: The Winter Solider opens in theaters April 4, 2014.

What do you think of the film's growing cast?

Photo credit: Dan Jackman/WENN

Everyone loves pizza but sometimes we forget how creative we can get with such a versatile recipe. Here we have taken pizza dough and topped it with creamy ricotta, sweet roasted fall vegetables and fresh herbs, making this a new favorite for fall comfort food.

Fall harvest vegetable pizza recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Flour, for dusting surface
• 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, fresh
• 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
• 2 cups of roasted vegetables such as butternut squash, red onions, sweet onions, red potatoes and fresh cloves of garlic
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
• Fresh basil, oregano or thyme for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out and stretch pizza dough into desired size and thickness and transfer to baking sheet.
3. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil and spread the ricotta over top of the dough, leaving a one-inch border. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella over top, reserving the remaining half for later. Add the roasted vegetables evenly to the pizza and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Add the fresh rosemary and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is a lovely golden brown color.
4. Before serving add fresh basil, oregano or thyme and serve.

More pizza recipes

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Fresh nectarine and gorgonzola pizza
Four cheese white pizza

Karine Jean-Pierre

Living the American dream

Former Obama aide Karine Jean-Pierre, shares her inspiring story of growing up in a family that moved to America to give her a better life and ending up on the forefront of U.S. politics. No matter what your political affiliation, this is one success story that can inspire us all.

Need a little inspiration to start your day? How about a pick-me-up during the negativity that always surrounds a close presidential campaign? We have the perfect interview for you.

Karine Jean-Pierre, named one of The Advocate's 2011 Forty under 40, first started working for President Barack Obama in 2008 as the southern regional political director in his Chicago headquarters and ultimately became the national deputy battleground states director for the President's re-election campaign until June. This talented woman in politics has also served as a regional political director at the White House Office of Political Affairs and as White House liaison at the U.S. Department of Labor.

Jean-Pierre is the perfect example of an American success story and will inspire you no matter what side of the political fence you are on.

SheKnows: You had such a great position on the inside of Obama's political campaign, what surprised you the most about presidential campaigns?

Jean-Pierre: When I took the position at the White House, I knew I would take a pay cut, and I knew it would be a lot of work, but it amazed me just how much work it took. It was seven days a week, 12 hour days. This administration has been so much different than past administrations because of the advancement of social media. You can't turn off Twitter or Facebook so you are constantly working. It is amazing how much of your time you are really giving up. It's intense and you are dedicating your life to it, but there is a lot of work to be done, and it's extremely gratifiying to be a part of the process.

SheKnows: What has been your biggest learning experience in politics?

Jean-Pierre: When you're young and you get into a career and you are trying to learn the craft and learn it well, it takes you awhile to become confident in it. Once I realized that I was good at developing relationships and strategies I realized "OK, I can do this."

It's hard to continue that idealism of hope and change and not let go of it. I had to continue to believe that change can still happen despite setbacks. You go in thinking everyone is in it to change the lives of American people for the better, sometimes it is hard to stay positive and teach yourself to continue to believe in what you are doing.

SheKnows: Do you feel like the political arena is still male-dominated or are females gaining more ground?

Jean-Pierre: We are definitely gaining more ground. Are we where we should be? No. I think there is more work to be done.

I wish more women would run and take on the elected official arena. I've read statistics about how many times you have to ask a woman to run before they actually say yes, and it is so much higher than the rate for men. Our voices need to be heard.

We need to get more women out there so we can have more of a voice. We have come a long way, but there is still more to be done.

SheKnows: What about being young and in politics? Do you think that has hindered or helped your success?

Jean-Pierre: There are situations that came up that, looking back, I would have handled differently if I had had the confidence I do now. But I do know I had to build that confidence so it's all a learning experience.

It's been great to be young in politics during this administration because Obama really tapped into our world.

SheKnows: You have such a great American success story, what do you feel has been the key to your rapidly rising career?

Jean-Pierre: I give credit to my parents. They are Haitian and immigrated to America. My dad is 70 but still drives a cab, my mom is home health care worker. They came from a country that is impoverished but left to get a better life for their kids. For them, they are so proud of me, and they feel they have reached their dream because of my successes, but without them I wouldn't be where I am. They told me I could be whatever I wanted to be, do whatever I wanted to do.

I remember in junior high school one of my counselors told me I should be a nurse not a doctor. When I told my mom that she was very angry and told me not to listen to anyone who told me not to live my dream.

They believe in me, and I wouldn't be where I am without the sacrifices they made to make sure I went to private school and college and grad school. The American dream has come true for them, they've gotten to meet the President and First Lady through my work, and it is great to give that to them.

SheKnows: What is your favorite/least favorite thing about an election year?

Jean-Pierre: There is something to an election year when you are a political nerd and watching the numbers and the key states that need to be won and the polling and the Electoral College and trying to figure out strategically what each candidate needs to win. Coupled with that, really talking with folks and watching Twitter feeds and seeing everyone coming together over the issue of voting. I love the numbers game, watching people debate over it and seeing people exercising their right to vote.

My least favortie thing is definitely watching the nastiness of it and how ugly people can get.

SheKnows: What tips would you give to young females looking toward a career in politics?

Jean-Pierre: Stay focused, continue to work hard, sometimes it's going to feel like it's hard to break through, but the way you continue to move forward is to form great relationships and cultivate them. Relationships are key.

Know what you are good at and stick to it. Stay on top of it, work hard and take chances. One thing I did was, after going to undergrad and grad school in New York, I took a big chance and moved to D.C. then to North and South Carolina. I wasn't afraid to take chances and decided that, if it was going to be beneficial to me, then it was OK to make the jump. A lot of women I admire, if you listen to their stories, they will tell you that they just took a chance, and I think that's something we need to not be afraid of, just take a leap of faith. I honestly believe that's why I'm here, because I took these chances.

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Have we finally left the darkest timeline? NBC has unveiled its midseason schedule and put an end to our suffering. Community is coming back. The series was originally set to return Oct. 19, before the network abruptly pulled it from the schedule.

Community postponed yet again >>

The good news is that Community lives to make us laugh another day. The bad news is that we have to wait until February to see it. That means nine months will have passed between the Season 3 finale and the Season 4 premiere.

NBC boss really wants Community to continue >>

Perhaps we should be happy the show is back at all. It isn't known for being a ratings juggernaut. The other decision NBC made was returning it to the Thursday-night lineup. Previously, it had been sentenced to Fridays.

Full Community cast back for Season 4 >>

Community star Yvette Nicole Brown confirmed the news via Twitter.

She wrote, "Guys, #Community officially has an airdate: Thursday, February 7th at 8pm!" followed by "February 7th is #October19th! Who knew?! :)."

The first episode of the new season is called "History 101." The gang will have big shoes to fill, as they'll be picking up where 30 Rock left off. Community has dibs on 30 Rock's time slot, which will be vacated following Rock's series finale.

Alec Baldwin says he offered to take a pay cut to save 30 Rock >>

For those of you who live further north — i.e., in Canada — you'll get Community a little earlier. According to The Huffington Post, CityTV will air the Season 4 premiere Friday, Jan. 11. Lucky Canadians!

Are you excited about Community's return?

Photo credit: B.Dowling/WENN

The Tale of Halcyon Crane
Wendy Webb

When Hallie James discovers that her mother — whom her father claimed was long dead — was alive until recently, she is shocked. She doesn't understand why her father lied to her, nor why her mother never tried to make contact. Hallie travels to her mother's last home, on an island in the middle of the Great Lakes, for some answers — but she isn't prepared for the icy reception she gets from the locals. Hallie must discover the secrets behind her mother's last years, and she soon learns that things that go bump in the night may not be as mythical as she once thought.

The Dead Path
Stephen M. Irwin

Horror novels seem to have a bad reputation as all blood and gore, but if you give Stephen M. Irwin's psychological horror novel a try, you might just get hooked on the genre. Nicholas Close is a man with personal demons. His gift, the second sight, has become a curse, as he's doomed to relive his wife's death over and over again. Trying to shake off those horrible memories, Nicholas returns home, but he doesn't find the peace there that he craves. The dark, mysterious woods near his house are still there, and they bring back memories of the murder of Nicholas' childhood friend, Tristram. Now another boy has gone missing, and Nicholas must solve the mystery of the woods before it's too late.

The Drowning Tree
Carol Goodman

Sometimes, it's the writing — the atmosphere of a novel — that sends chills down the reader's spine, and Carol Goodman has mastered that. In The Drowning Tree, Juno McKay has no desire to attend her college reunion. After all, she knows whispers of her past will follow her — tales of how she ended up pregnant before graduation and how her husband, a fellow student, wound up in a mental institution just a few years after they were married. But Juno can't pass up the chance to see a good friend, Christine, who is delivering a lecture on the school's history. Christine's lecture turns out to be incendiary, and when Christine disappears just days later, Juno has no choice but to descend into the madness of the founding family of the school in order to uncover what Christine discovered.

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Peaches are those wonderful stone fruits that are delicious raw or baked in pies and tarts. And although fruits aren't usually considered an important ingredient for dinner, they can add an awesome sweetness to an already wonderful entree. So when Fine Cooking suggested frying those peaches in sugar and then roasting them with some pork chops, I knew it would be amazing.

While it's true that this meal is perfect for those warm summer months, simply adding some fennel and cheddar grits make it an ideal choice when those cold winds start to blow. So while grilling chops may be your first choice, roasting them in the oven is just as tasty and a lot nicer to your extremities than standing over an outside grill.

Pork chops with sugar-roasted peaches, fennel and cheddar grits

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup grits
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 stick butter, divided
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 4 pork chops
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
• 4 sugar-roasted peach halves, quartered

Directions:

Make the grits:

1. Bring the broth and milk to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the grits and continue whisking until they boil. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the mixture begins to thicken, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cheddar, Parmesan and four tablespoons of butter until melted and well combined, another five minutes.

Roast the chops:

1. Season the chops with the fennel, salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rosemary sprigs. Place the chops in the pan and cook until golden brown, about four minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a cutting board and let rest.
3. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel and toss to coat.
4. Return the chops to the skillet and nestle them and the peaches into the fennel. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until fully cooked about five minutes. Serve the chops immediately with the grits, fennel and peaches.

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Celebrity mom Melissa Joan Hart

Maternity mortality matters

Melissa Joan Hart is known for her fun television and movie roles. From the quirky Clarissa in Clarissa Explains it All to the title character in her current series, Melissa & Joey. Now she's taking on an important new role: Spokeswoman for Merck for Mothers '“Once Upon A Birth” campaign.

Melissa Joan Hart wants to see a big decrease in maternal mortality rates around the world. The mother of three says that this is very important to her, especially since she just gave birth to her third son. "Eight-hundred women die in the world every day from pregnancies and childbirth and 90 percent of them are preventable. This is something that doesn’t need to be happening," says Hart.

She's teamed up with the "Once Upon a Birth" campaign by Merck for Mothers to spread the world about this important cause.

Merck for Mothers has made a 10-year, $500 million commitment to help reduce the rate of maternal mortality. Among the biggest threats to motherhood are hemorrhaging and preeclampsia, which are both preventable with good care, says Hart.

Motherhood, times three

Hart just gave birth to her third son, Tucker, in September. That made the campaign she's working on really hit even closer to home.

She and husband Mark Wilkerson are also parents to Mason, 6, and Braydon, 4. Hart says that the hardest thing about going from two children to three has been the balancing. "He’s still sleeping a lot," admits Hart, who makes it a priority to have fun with her older boys too. "Tucker gets dragged around from here to there."

And her older boys? They are smitten with their younger brother. Mason in particular "just loves to do everything," says Hart.

Organizing her busy life

She credits a little high-tech organization with keeping her family and work life running smoothly. "My secret is the calendar on my iPhone and setting alarms on that to make sure that I don’t forget things like picking up a present for the birthday party or remembering snacks for the soccer game," Hart says.

She also sets priorities for each day — sometimes time for each of the kids, sometimes work-related.

Hart will begin filming season three of her hit show Melissa & Joey soon — and when she does, the whole family is coming along. "We’re going to pick up the family and head back to California for a few months," says Hart.

In the past, Hart has gone out on her own, leaving her kids behind with her husband. However, she says that was really hard on her — although they traveled back and forth often to see each other. Now, with a new baby, Hart felt like it would be better for the family to just stick together.

"I am kind of excited that they are coming with me this time," says Hart, who is fortunate to have a husband in the music business who has the flexibility to travel with her for work. "Our careers allow us to be there for each other."

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Hart is the oldest of eight kids — mostly sisters — and says that really prepared her for motherhood. "With my first born, I had a lot of people telling me I was treating him like my third because I wasn’t too worried or scared," says Hart.

When Hart had her first son, her mom gave her what she says is the best advice she's ever been given. "She just reassured me that you are a great mother, you have great instincts and you just have to go with what’s right for you," says Hart.

Image credit: Starbux/WENN.com, Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com

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Experts once thought that uncontrollable crying automatically meant colic. These days, though, we are well-educated on another culprit: Acid reflux, which can be a painful condition for kids.

"My mom talked a lot about my twin sister and me having colic as babies. When my son was born, she called his crying 'colic,' as well," says mom Hilary Hamblin. "After three months of nearly constant screaming, back arching, not sleeping and excessive spitting up, a friend mentioned these as symptoms of acid reflux. After some research online and a visit to our pediatrician, we started my son on Axid for acid reflux. Within 24 hours, he was a different, happier child."

For decades, it seems, moms have been made to feel guilty about holding their babies too much. Ignore the critics and repeat after us: You cannot spoil a baby by holding her. Really. It's true. "Babies who are held often and have their needs met right away are more likely to have higher self-images and learn they are respected and worthy," says Linda C. Donovan, RN, MHA, IBCLC. So, even if you keep hearing people tell you not to do it, rest assured that holding your baby is a good and natural thing.

Baby wipes are expensive and, for some sensitive bums, they can hurt. The good news? You really don't need to buy 'em.

"I know people will not believe this, but a 100 percent breastfed baby doesn't need baby wipes. Not at all. Breastfed baby feces are low in acid and bacteria, watery and wipe off easily; breastfed baby urine is dilute and noncorrosive," says Wendie A. Howland RN MN CRRN CCM CNLCP and the editor of the AANLCP Journal of Nurse Life Care Planning. "Wipe that baby butt with the damp cloth diaper you're taking off, re-wrap in a new clean cloth diaper, and you're both good to go. I did this for both of my babies, and neither of them ever had a rash once."

Formula feeding? You can still skip the commercial wipes in favor of a wash cloth and mild soap.

We love double-duty things, and this tip falls firmly into that category. "If you have a baby who sleeps long and hard, a maxi pad in the diaper is a great solution to soaked sheets and jammies," says Annie Ory, a certified life coach.

Not comfortable with that approach? That's OK. There are also lots of highly absorbant nighttime diapers now available from Huggies, Pampers, Seventh Generation and more.

Sterilizing all the baby doodads can be time-consuming if you do it the old-fashioned way in a pot with water. But guess what? It can be so much easier — and you don't need a pricey home sterilizer. Instead, toss everything in your dishwasher and run it on a short, hot cycle.

Up next: 5 More baby care tricks >>

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News flash: When cool air hits a baby's privates, he'll tend to pee. So open that diaper carefully so that you can catch the stream before it's all over you and the nursery. You can also cover Baby's privates with a washcloth, which will absorb the spray before it gets you.

They say that music can tame the savage beast. It also can calm a child down or, in the car, even put him to sleep. Slide in a CD and see how something that's soft and soothing can make everything a little more relaxed.

Look: Until your child can walk, she really doesn't need shoes. Socks? Absolutely! But not shoes. If you still put them on, be honest: It's about you, not her. Save the money until she really needs them.

It used to be that kids needed the necessary skill of juice-box drinking for when they hit school days. But these days, parents tend toward reusable bottles for school drinks. So, just make sure your child is well versed on using reusables — and he'll be just fine.

Have an early riser? That can be super tough. And if yours is really little, you might not be able to explain sleeping in to her. So, make it a little harder to wake up by hanging blackout curtains in Baby's room. Close them at bedtime. You won't be sorry. For older children, teach them that they can't get up until a certain time. It will save your sanity.

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