It's one of the best shakes I've ever had and is an absolute hit every time I serve it when guests are over. It's one of those recipes that's super easy to make but tastes so amazingly delicious that it seems like it should take longer to make than it really does.

And when pumpkin and spices are added, it's the perfect shake for the holiday season. It's definitely a must-try milkshake.

Just remember to make extra for the chef.

Roasted marshmallow and pumpkin malted milkshake recipe

Serves 2

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups vanilla ice cream
• 2 tablespoons malted milk powder
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 dashes pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup milk
• 12 large toasted marshmallows
• 1/2 cup whipped cream, for garnish
• Orange candy sprinkles, for garnish

Directions:

1. To a blender, add the ice cream, malted milk powder, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, milk and toasted marshmallows.
2. Blend on the milkshake setting until the marshmallows are blended in with all the ingredients (about 2 minutes).
3. Pour the milkshake into the serving glasses, and garnish with whipped cream and candy sprinkles.

More pumpkin recipes

Pumpkin pound cake
Pumpkin spice pancakes
Pumpkin pie streusel bars

1. Cookies for Santa

This is it — Christmas Eve — the big day (and night)! When Elf hears Santa's bells, he'll take his final flight of the year back to the North Pole. Here, Elfie is ready for the big guy's arrival with a Christmas cookie and a mug of milk.

More: 16 Family Christmas card photo ideas that will wow your relatives

2. A fluffy farewell

What's this? Elfie's waiting at the breakfast table with a sweet goodbye message spelled out in marshmallows!

3. All packed up and ready to go

Santa's friendly scout is all packed and ready to go! A tape-covered mint tin with a small pipe cleaner handle makes the perfect Elf-sized suitcase.

4. Delivering Christmas Eve pajamas

How thoughtful! Elfie has a brand-new set of Christmas jammies for the kids to wear on Christmas Eve night.

5. Enjoying his last breakfast

Elfie loves to help himself to goodies from the kitchen. Here, he enjoys a final breakfast of pint-size pancakes.

6. Hiding out in the stocking

It doesn't get any easier than popping your little red friend in a stocking on the mantle. He'll be ready to roll when St. Nick comes a-calling.

Up next: Insanely simple Elf on the Shelf ideas for Christmas Eve >>

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7. Reindeer food

Look here! Elfie has a bag of reindeer food (oatmeal mixed with glitter) for the kids to scatter on the lawn for Rudolph and friends. Attach this poem so the kids will know what to do:

"Sprinkle on the lawn at night.
The moon will make it sparkle bright.
As Santa's reindeer fly and roam,
This will guide them to your home!"

8. Saying goodbye to his buddies

After 23 nights cavorting in your home, Elf will have surely made some good friends. On his final morning, it's only natural he'd be found having a final goodbye with his buddies!

9. Making snowflakes

Yes, even Elves get a little homesick. It seems Elfie has been trying to create his own White Christmas by snipping up a flurry of snowflakes.

10. A little gift before he goes

The kids will have to wait until Christmas morning to open their Santa gifts, but perhaps they'd like to open one small gift from their Elf on the Shelf on Christmas Eve! Make it an ornament and start an annual tradition!

11. Perched on the fireplace tools

Wrap Elf's tiny, mittened hands around the handle of a fireplace tool and give him a front-row seat for Santa's sooty arrival.

12. Curled up with a favorite book

Elf might be found reading a favorite Christmas book or a new one to add to your family's holiday collection.

13. Elf under the mistletoe

Somebody wants a kiss goodbye! No mistletoe on hand? Grab some clippings from the yard!

More: 25 Hilarious ways to pose your Elf on the Shelf

14. Hanging out in the Christmas tree

Tucked in among the branches, Elf could almost be mistaken for an ornament!

More: 10 Hilarious selfies from the Elf on the Shelf

15. Goodbye note

A simple goodbye note is a sweet way to end Elf's stay in your home. Goodbye, Elfie! We'll miss you. Until next year — when the fun will start all over again!

And Cookie is getting her salsa lessons on the horizontal, but, hey, can she live? No, literally. Since her lover Laz (Adam Rodriguez) has that Longhorn on his back, is he going to kill her or let her live? And Jamal: Is he just using Cookie for a sweet tooth versus the bitter toxins of Luscious' injections into his tracks? Like, who is Jamal really riding for?

Hakeem: Is Laura finally helping you get free from Luscious?

Andre: Boo, will you ever stop letting everyone get a turn on your emotions like a doorknob?

Tweet this:

"Sometimes warriors have to do things on the battlefield that would be repugnant."

Lucious Lyon

Pumping Freda for beats like the brakes on a burned out Pinto, Luscious is riding her right to his next glory stop. Meanwhile back at Empire, Mimi (Marisa Tomei) is not feeling the numbers that are as low as a twerk queen on a pole at Magic City in Hotlanta at 3 a.m. on a Friday. In a bid to get a streaming play, he spars with Mimi’s fish, Jago (guest star Patrick Mulvey), owner of the music streaming company — and, well, promptly knocks him out. Cold. In the ring. And then Jago has to go the hospital.

But wait!

Then, Luscious and Mimi morphine-drip Jago in his post-boxing beat-down hospital bed 'til Jago’s woozy ass calls his lawyer to seal a partnership deal with Luscious/Mimi/Empire. Luscious is all business, all day. Even when backing out of an almost ménage à trois with Mimi and another woman, he keeps his head clear enough to dig deep after seeing an inspirational gun tattoo. On task, he summons Freda to his studio for an impromptu session to record a duo: a murder track. Or is it a suicide track? Hmmm....

More: The big problem with Lucious, Mimi and the almost-threesome on Empire

Cookie Lyon

She’s getting that arroz con pollo from the hot one, Laz. Him with the Longhorn tattoo that she knows not is the same tattoo of the gang that beat her son like a rug on Sunday. Cuidado, mami! Later, after getting the chorizo for days, she starts negotiating a deal for a concert with the Lyon Dynasty and Laz. And who has the park for the concert on lock? Big Heavy (Victor Almanzar) of the Longhorns! But remember, neither she nor Hakeem knows Laz is a Longhorn, so this is just nasty. I’m watching like, "Girl, if only you knew!" Actually, I screamed, "Cookie, you crumbling, boo?" at the TV, but I digress. But really, though, Cookie, you crumbling boo? Will Nookie destroy Cookie?

More: Empire Episode 4 play-by-play recap: Is Cookie crumbling?

Hakeem

"Mirage a Trois." OK. The name of the group is "basura." But, Hakeem's drive is a three-alarm fire, and his desire to get ahead may blaze a new trail for the timid, yet talented Laura (Jamila Velazquez). His utter belief in Laura is all she needs to break out of her good girl singing and out into grown-man sang. Will his new perceptiveness keep him ahead of the trap that the rat in no clothing, Laz, is trying to set for both him and Cookie?

Jamal

In the middle of trying to make a hit, he chokes down Luscious’ direction and swallows a cool sip of Cookie’s sweet tea to create a smoldering track. His allegiance to art overrides his loyalty to Luscious, and he seeks Cookie out to do that thing she does that makes a song a hit. After hitting her with the new cut over dinner, she persuades Jamal to put down a track at Lyon Dynasty. Later, he performs for Luscious in a day salon filled with hit makers. It’s crystal clear that this song got that tasty mix. And it’s Lasik clear to Luscious that Cookie’s recipe is all up in that song. And Luscious Is. Not. Happy. Cause. He. Don’t. Mess. With. Cookie. And. Jamal. Doing. So. Is. Betrayal. Yikes.

More: A definitive ranking of Jamal's best songs in Empire Season 2 (VIDEO)

Andre

Andre’s conservative estimates for saving Empire are doing nothing for Mimi. Nothing. But reverend steps in and helps Andre see the light. It’s OK to do bad things in the name of the Lord, sayeth the Reverend. Going grimy, Andre tells his D.A. jump-off, Deputy Mayor Alvarez, that unless she lifts a gang injunction hindering Empire’s next moves, he’d give the interwebs some secret videos of their illicit bumpin’ and grindin’ — making her the legal-eagle steez Kim K. to his Ray J. Guess what? Injunction lifted. I mean, really. Riding the balance between being a man of the Word and being a man of Empire's word is hard, even for a horny, Ivy League, born-again Christian like Andre. Let the choir sang....

Consider the stats:

• 51 percent of teens say that they often or sometimes watch TV during homework.
• 50 percent often or sometimes use social media while doing homework.
• 60 percent often or sometimes text during homework.
• 76 percent often or sometimes listen to music during homework. (In fact, 50 percent of teens think listening to music helps their work versus 6 percent who think it hurts.)

Most of the research on multitasking has been done with adults and isn't definitive. Some say human brains aren't wired for multitasking and that constant switching among tasks leads to reduced attention spans, an impatient need for instant gratification and the inability to sustain focus. On the other hand, some researchers believe the human brain adapts to its environment and can grow to become efficient at multitasking.

The challenge for parents is figuring out what's normal — but frustrating — teen behavior and what are truly unhealthy study habits. Listening to music while doing homework seems harmless, but many studies have shown that listening to popular music with lyrics can hurt reading comprehension and the ability to do complex tasks — but more zen-like and classical music does not.

If your teens' academics are slipping, that's a red flag. Discuss your concerns and talk about ways to structure homework time, such as turning off cell phones and TV for a certain amount of time or allowing kids to check their texts only after they complete each assignment. Consider asking your kids to write down assignments and have them check each off as they finish them. Maybe offer rewards for finishing in a timely manner, since multitasking tends to make homework time drag on.

If your kid is really having a tough time blocking out distractions and staying focused, you might need some technical assistance. If your kid's school uses a one-to-one device program, ask the teacher if it comes with some time-management software or other controls that allow you to restrict access to non-homework-related sites. If your kid is using your home computer to do work, you might consider a parental-control program, such as OpenDNS or KidsWatch, that lets you separate homework from playtime.

In honor of #WorldAdoptionDay on Nov. 9, Abraham posted a stirring message to her Instagram followers just two days ago:

For fans of the Teen Mom who have been rooting her on as the underdog since her season began in 2009, the news that Abraham wants to adopt comes as a big surprise. In all her screen time and social media activity over the past six years, the reality star has not mentioned expanding her happy little family of two through adoption. Abraham, who recently split from boyfriend Simon Saran, believes that she and her 6-year-old daughter, Sophia, can use adoption to make a difference in the world.

More: Kim Kardashian under fire for making an all-too-common parenting mistake

Abraham drops some hard statistics in her Instagram post, and she makes an excellent point. Awareness campaigns like World Adoption Day exist because the growing number of children who need a family is something we don't really feel comfortable talking about. Abraham points out that there are more than 145 million orphans around the world, and right here in the U.S., close to 400,000 children are living in foster care without a permanent home, according to statistics from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

More: 16 Celebrity moms who have built their families through adoption

When you compare that to the estimated 7,000 children adopted by U.S. families in 2012, many from countries like the Ukraine, Ethiopia and China, the American adoption attitude is merely a drop in the bucket. But the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption provides a clear solution to the problem, based on its latest National Adoption Attitudes Survey: 40 percent of American adults have considered adoption. If just 1 out of 500 of these adults adopted, every child eligible for adoption in foster care (estimated at 114,000 kids) would have a permanent family.

More: Jessa Duggar's midwife did exactly what she should have done

Abraham has never been accused of being a go-with-the-flow kind of gal, but in her latest Instagram post, she's actually bringing up a national topic that's critically important. Abraham has already grown into her role as a young mom and wants to share the love with another child who may not have a parent. More and more parents are choosing to build their families in this nontraditional way, by adopting after having biological children, because they too feel that tug on their heart to adopt. For parents like Abraham, who are considering expanding their family, the National Council for Adoption has general resources available.

The unspoken rule for living life as a reality TV star is that haters are going to hate, but you can't knock Abraham for bringing awareness to — and possibly participating in — a great cause. Only time will tell if Abraham makes good on her word and brings another child into her family through adoption. But at the very least, we can give her credit for opening her heart to her fans and encouraging more social awareness.

More: Gwen Stefani continues to confuse fans about relationship status (PHOTO)

Multiple sources have reportedly confirmed to Access Hollywood that Us Weekly's report about Rossdale's three-year affair with Mindy Mann is true, but it goes one step further. According to the publication, a source claims that Rossdale reportedly left his wife in hospital after she had given birth to their third child, Apollo, to meet up with Mann and have sex with her.

But that's not the only terrible little detail in this new report. The source also claims Rossdale and Mann would meet up while he was on tour so that he could see his sons. But Mann was not just innocently bringing the children over to see their dad because the pair would allegedly have sex in the tour bus after his sons fell asleep — all while his wife was unaware and filming The Voice.

In addition to the details about Rossdale's alleged affair, the source reportedly also said that a report from OK! magazine, which claimed that Stefani is pregnant, is "completely false."

More: Report claims Gavin Rossdale still wears his ring for a touching reason

While Access Hollywood notes that reps for both Rossdale and Stefani have yet to comment on the reports, the accusations are pretty damning.

Could these allegations be true? Let us know your thoughts on this report in the comments below.

More: Adele's "Hello" gets the David Attenborough treatment (WATCH)

Thom took to Facebook to call out BBC Radio 2 (and hurled several expletives at the station) after she learned that her track (out on Nov. 27) would not be making their playlist.

"I wanted to make this video so people realise how much it hurts because I apparently can do no right," she says in the video, before going on to explain why her song should be heard.

"I wrote a song that is pop and catchy and fits their format and there is no reason why they shouldn't play my music and I swear to God they have no idea how much it actually hurts when it's been years and years trying to gain some kind of respect from these people," she explained.

Thom is clearly upset and reveals that she's had enough of the industry determining which songs are going to become a success.

"I am f***ing sick and tired of having to sit on the edge of my seat waiting for these people to come back and tell me their verdict of whether this song is going to be a success. Basically without their support it can't be a success," she says.

For more watch the video below but be warned there is a lot of swearing.

More: Madonna just won the battle on ageism with one photo

Is Thom right to call them out for not giving her airplay? It's a tricky one. The music industry is saturated with talented individuals all competing for their shot at stardom but there are a limited number of slots that radio jockeys have to play new music. They try hard to predict what the public wants to hear but, at the same time, Thom is not a newbie and her hits like "'I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)" have proven popular in the past.

She's certainly not the only musician to be denied airplay, with perhaps one of the most shocking ones being Madonna.

Earlier this year the "Queen of Pop" learned that her new track, "Living For Love," would not be making Radio 1's playlist and she claimed that this was because of age discrimination. According to the radio station age had nothing to do with the decision, rather it was because they didn't like the song.

"There's nothing personal about Madonna. It's just about the merit of the music an artist is creating at the time. We haven't banned Madonna. If she comes back with another track…" Radio 1's controller Ben Cooper said, The Telegraph reports.

There's also Robbie Williams, who said he was "gutted" when Radio 1 decided that he was not making their playlist. Again this was thought to be an ageist decision and Williams shed light on it during an interview with BBC Radio 4's Mastertapes.

More: Fifth Harmony respond to their slut-shamers with an important message

He said, "I'm very ambitious. So when Radio 1 goes and is taken away from you, a huge bit of your arsenal goes. It's your main oxygen to get your stuff out there."

But, at 34 years old, Thom is unlikely to blame ageism for the fact that her track has been rejected. Is there another reason? Perhaps not in Thom's case but Tyrese Gibson certainly thinks there is for him: racism.

Speaking during a video obtained by TMZ, Gibson threw shade at mainstream radio for not giving his track "Shame" airplay while artists like Sam Smith and Justin Timberlake are played across all channels including "urban."

"I got an issue with mainstream radio right now," he said. "I don't create limits for myself so I don't appreciate mainstream [radio] not playing my song."

If you do want to see Sandi Thom's new song watch the video below.

Let us know your thoughts on Sandi Thom not making the cut in the comments below.

Minty truffle and chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Butter (room temperature)
• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 Egg
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• ½ tsp. Salt
• ¾ cup HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Chips
• ½ cup HERSHEY’S KISSES Dark Chocolates Filled with Mint Truffle (coarsely chopped)

Directions: 

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar.
2. Add the egg and stir until incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Chips, and the chopped HERSHEY’S KISSES Dark Chocolates Filled with Mint Truffle, into the mix!
5. Cover the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before baking. I like to shape the dough into logs so the cookies are ready to slice and bake.
6. Slice or shape cookies from the chilled dough and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, the edges should just be starting to brown and the middle should still be a little soft.

This post is part of collaboration between Hershey’s and SheKnows

I didn’t need to socialize with my 14 distant cousins, none of whom spoke English. I didn’t want to leave the TV/VCR combo that only had one American movie — Gremlins 2.

I resurfaced to have meals with the family. My chopstick skills improved, but I longed for things I could eat with my hands: hamburgers, French fries, grilled cheese sandwiches. American Food. I was homesick.

The only places where I felt a connection were the 7-Elevens that were everywhere. I don’t know why — we didn’t have one in Cresskill. I would wander the aisles, longing for companionship via the chips and sodas, familiar logos with Chinese characters attached to them.

I was young then, and when I went off to college, I never revisited Taiwan. I graduated, got married and became an actor. In 2005, my film Saving Face won the Viewer’s Choice at The Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan's equivalent to the Oscars. It still took 10 more years before I finally returned.

As an adult, I’ve grown into a rather adventurous traveler. I’m not a typical tourist, opting to avoid crowds and must-see spots and experience life the way the locals do — especially when it comes to food. The only time you’ll find me in an American chain store today is when I’m using the bathroom. But on my recent trip to Taiwan, I became obsessed with visiting every 7-Eleven we walked past.

21 years later, I was blown away by how uniquely Taiwanese everything was — yet still familiar. It reminded me of the first time I walked through a 99-cent store with $20 in my hand. I wanted to buy it all. I stood under the florescent lights with my mouth open, fingers pointing. Each product told a story, and it was usually a mystery.

As you can see from my video, Taiwan’s 7-Eleven is still my little slice of heaven. It feels like a community hub, a place where people will meet friends, have a snack, pick up dinner and check their email. People seem to have pride in a store where cultures collide, where fun meets function. It’s something I’m still searching for here in the States.

April Hoagman and Beckie Peirce have been raising a 1-year-old baby girl they hope to adopt for three months, and they probably expected that a routine hearing in family court would be pretty uneventful: They had, after all, passed the background checks and home inspections required of them to be qualified to foster children. Besides that, the couple has been raising Peirce's two children quite capably for years in what appears to be a very happy home. That's why when Judge Scott Johansen of Price, Utah, ordered the child taken from their home to be placed with a heterosexual couple, the pair was so devastated.

Hoagland told a local news outlet that the decision was "...heartbreaking. We've been told to care for this child like a mother would, and I am her mother."

More: A stolen photo of my family was used in a way I never imagined

Judge Johansen cited but did not produce what he called "a myriad" of studies that show that children raised by heterosexual couples do better than children raised by same-sex couples. That presumption is, of course, patently false.

A report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2013 that compiled data from 30 years of studying how children fare when they are raised by same-sex parents showed that gay couples are as loving, capable and well-equipped to be parents — and foster parents — as straight couples are.

Still, that didn't stop Johansen from ordering the couple to surrender the child within the space of the week. That's an order the couple and the state's Division of Child and Family Services hope to fight.

More: 'It takes a village' — how 5 single moms built their support networks

This judge's actions are alarming as well as heartbreaking for one big reason: It shows that there are still people out there who are willing to push back against the basic civil rights that same-sex couples now finally enjoy. The discrimination leveled against homosexual people in this country is far from a thing of the past, and cases like this indicate that there are people who will do anything they can to keep gay and lesbian couples from claiming the rights afforded to them by law.

Utah has many conditions that couples hoping to foster children must meet, and one of them is that the couple must be married. Hoagland and Peirce are married. It's clear that this puts a bee in Johansen's bonnet, because what had so long been a barrier to same-sex couples fostering children in Utah — marriage — is no longer illegal and therefore cannot be used as a convenient front to deny them their rights. In conservative areas of the country, "married" was a palatable code word for "straight" because same-sex couples were prohibited from marrying.

More: 9 Awesomely uplifting same-sex pregnancy announcements

It's extremely worrying that there are people of power out there who are willing to take children from very loving homes in service to what is quickly becoming an antiquated worldview. It's as though people who supported DOMA and other measures realized they would not get their way after all and now continue to stamp their feet and do blatantly terrible things just to make one last stand that will land them on the wrong side of history.

While the court documents cannot be released in order to protect the juveniles in the case, everyone who was present that day backs up Hoagland and Peirce's recounting of the ruling: that the baby's removal was ordered not because the pair is unfit as parents, but because they are lesbians.

Attorney Mandie Torgerson represents the baby's biological mother, who reportedly asked the pair to pursue adoption, and says she will appeal the decision, while a spokeswoman for DFCS — Ashley Sumner — is similarly perplexed, saying, “We just want sharing, loving families for these kids. We don't really care what that looks like.”

Isn't that the truth? A good parent is a good parent, their race, orientation, age or physical ability notwithstanding. Kids don't care, so long as they are loved, which is something Hoagland and Peirce have already done. Now there's a good chance they'll have to say goodbye to the child they've come to accept as their own, all because one bigoted judge doesn't seem to understand what the "in the best interest of the child" part of his job description means.

In fact, Life and Style reports that the show isn't paying Richards at all.

More: RHOBH's Kyle Richards gives an update on Kim Richards' health

That's right, despite the fact that she was apparently living out of her car not too long ago, the reality star has agreed to appear on the show for free.

But she is, obviously, getting something out of the arrangement. Otherwise, why bother?

A source told the outlet that she is desperate to repair her damaged reputation.

And while she definitely needs some good PR after relapsing earlier this year and then trying to steal $600 in merchandise from a Target store, there might also be more to her forgoing her paycheck.

More: RHOBH Kim Richards' problems get worse — this time her dog is involved

After all, no money probably means no contract. Or at least, less of an intense contract. And if Richards isn't bound to the same set of rules as all the other ladies, it means she has more control over when and how she appears on the show.

Richards' bestie and costar Brandi Glanville even told Howard Stern during an interview that she refused to film scenes with any of the ladies aside from Richards and Yolanda Foster. There is no way the show just agreed to that without some negotiations happening.

More: Real Housewives' Kim Richards finally explains what drove her to drink again

It isn't like Richards needs the money. Not when sister Kathy Hilton is rumored to be covering Richards' expenses while she focuses on her health. Though, Life and Style also reports that friends and family are concerned that Richards' return to the show might be too much, too soon.

Why do you think Kim Richards is giving up her paycheck to be back on RHOBH?

It's become a popular buzzword to throw on food packages, something that makes us feel better about the choices we make. But there's no clear, legal definition for it. So the FDA is asking us, the public, to tell them what we think "natural" food should mean.

More: 5 Misleading claims on food labels

This is the result of three online petitions and some consumer lawsuits between private parties. The FDA doesn't have a formal rule about labeling something "natural," but its policy has long been that it should mean the food's ingredients include nothing "synthetic or artificial." It's more of a guideline, as the pirates say, than anything with actual teeth.

More: Reading food labels: What to watch out for

Compare this with the word "organic," which has clear rules with legal implications. If you're treating your watermelon plants with certain pesticides and then you slap an "organic" label on the melons, you could be sued. Not so with the label "natural."

I think a lot of us have gotten used to the way food producers fling that word around to lure us into buying their products. We know it could mean just about anything and that in some cases it's nothing but a collection of letters on a package. Oh, the eye rolling I've done in the grocery store over what marketers try to pass off as natural! So it has almost become meaningless.

More: 4 Food additives to avoid

But here's an opportunity to attach some meaning back to the word — if we want to go there. Personally I think it's always great to have more information. Yes, I can look at the ingredients list and come to my own conclusions. For that matter, I can skip the middle aisles altogether and keep to the perimeter, where the produce, meat and dairy are. Less ambiguity that way. But I still think words should mean something. Maybe it's because I'm a writer.

Anyway, here's what to do if you have a strong opinion on this: Go to the FDA's Use of the Term "Natural" in the Labeling of Human Food Products Request for Information and Comments. Click on the blue "comment now" box, and write away. Think about whether the word should address use of pesticides, preservatives and other synthetic ingredients, how the food is grown, the nutritional quality and GMOs. Should something with high fructose corn syrup be called "natural"? For that matter, do you think it's appropriate for the FDA to define the word at all?

(If that link doesn't work, go to the FDA's regulations search: http://www.regulations.gov and type "FDA-2014-N-1207" in the search box. It will take a while for search results to load.)

What will the FDA do with these comments? It is required to read them all and then decide how to act on those comments. It may decide it doesn't have the resources or budget to address this question, or it may realize that consumer demand is so high it has to do something. At any rate, this is a rare chance to have your say about how one of our agencies does its job.

Ben & Jerry's is such a beloved ice cream brand that it's almost synonymous with certain life experiences. Bad breakup? Grab some Ben & Jerry's. Girls' night watching movies? Ben & Jerry's. Sick and tired of cheap grocery store brand ice cream? You know you're gonna reach for that pint of Ben & Jerry's.

More: Vegan cherry-chocolate ice cream

But until now, people who don't eat dairy would have to reach for a specialty brand of nondairy ice cream. Many of these are nondairy ice creams from small companies, and all too often they're thin and icy, with none of the richness you'd expect from a $6-plus pint of ice cream.

Ben & Jerry's promises to change all that. It's not a niche brand — it is one of the best major ice cream makers in the country. Its new ice cream promises to be 100 percent vegan, and after rigorous testing (soy milk, cashew milk and who knows what else), the company has decided that almond milk is the best base for its dairy-free option. It provides "the best blank canvas to carry the funky chunks and swirls that you know and love," flavor guru Kirsten Schimoler said in a statement. Vegan funky chunks and swirls? Count me so, so in!

So often the vegan option is also "healthy," but I can only hope that a company known for throwing as much candy, fudge and caramel as possible into its ice creams will do the same for its vegan ice cream. Vegan "Everything But The..."? Vegan "Half Baked"? If anyone can do it, Ben & Jerry's can, so bring it on. From heartbreaks to birthday cakes, vegans and non-vegans alike can finally rely on a trusty pint of Ben & Jerry's.

More: These vegan ice cream desserts might convert you

The winner? Moonlab, the latest brainchild of wunderkind Dr. Sabine Seymour, flew in the face of wearables — those trending little gadgets that we wear to track everything from our biorhythms to our steps per day with SoftSpot. “This (sensor system) can actually embedded in, well, your undergarments.” Well, alright! How much more wearable can you get? And though that was no easy task and the competition was fierce, she walked away a lot richer. Talk about going hard while keeping it soft. What a velvet-glove, iron-fist play.

Ten of the best women-led start-ups in the Northeast region, as selected by judges, pitched their vision to a crowd of journalists, tech-heads, business titans, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists — and a panel of digital disruptors and investors. The judges — Digitalundivided’s Kathryn Finney; digital innovator and investor, Joanne Wilson; business maven and president of BBG Ventures (a fund for women lead tech start-ups), Susan M. Lyne; and Victoria Song of Flybridge Capital (an early stage venture capital firm) — leaned forward.

“What’s your business model?” Finney asks one entrepreneur. “How will this monetize?” Lyne asks of another. “How is this truly unique?” Wilson asks. Direction from established tech-mavens is priceless, and nights like these are a gold mine for both the tech-curious and tech-savvy alike.

And so went the first ever #WomenStartUpChallenge at the Microsoft headquarters, hosted by Women Who Tech, in partnership with Craig Newmark, the force behind Craigslist and Craigconnects. The next time there’s an event like this, I highly recommend you check it out.

Why would you want to go to an event like this, my tech-curious friend? Three good reasons. Three very good reasons.

1. Meeting people in real life is a good thing

So much of our time is spent behind a computer screen, talking to people in keystrokes. Or, thumbing our input and lives into acronyms, like "ttyl" and "np," laced with emojis to legions of “friends.” Getting to meet someone you’ve established a business e-relationship with (or want to establish a relationship with) is cool! And what about reconnecting with someone who you haven’t seen. These events are a great way to make real connections.

2. Learning more about the tech space is a good thing

Tech is everywhere. Literally. #WomenStartUpChallenge winner, SoftSpotIO founder Dr. Sabine Seymour, nailed it with a comment as to the utility of her seamless sensory system during her pitch: “It’s in my clothing. My heart is really racing right now and the feedback is showing me that.” Anxious laughter aside, this wearable was a good thing after all! Based on the fact that she won, the judges also thought it was a good thing. The second runner-up, SirenRing was bringing that Wonder Woman 3.0 ethos in a stylish ring that emits a debilitating sound when activated. What a badass way to be a lady! Go tech.

3. Women supporting women is a good thing

In the tech space, women start-ups are often called “unicorns,” so rare are they in the digital land of TechEquality. According to a stat glaring out from the Women Who Tech site, “Only 7% of investor money goes to women led start-ups.“ Yikes! By supporting women in tech, we nurture a growing niche industry into a vibrant economic source. To create platforms for issues vital to women, it’s vital that women create the platforms. Simple. And the more we share, retweet, like, fund, discuss, develop, dream, and do, the more we invest in our most valuable commodity: ourselves. And that’s a good thing.

Women-centric tech events like #WomenStartUpChallenge are a good way to learn about a growing industry, meet new smart and innovative people and quite possibly spark an idea whose time has come. Who knows? Maybe next year, you’ll walk away with a cool, hard $25,000 after meeting a venture capitalist at an event who invests in your idea. A long shot? Maybe. Then again, maybe not. We believe in unicorns after all. And that’s a good thing.

Free snow globe at JCPenney! Free scarf with purchase at Express! My heart would sing as I flipped through the glossy circulars, and I would begin to plan the next day’s shopping route like a general planning for battle. This was before so many stores decided to open at 4 a.m. or midnight or even on Thanksgiving, so my Black Friday would start at a comfortable 8 or 9 in the morning, and I’d still score the coveted doorbusters.

As time went by, the Black Friday siren song called to me louder and louder, and soon Thanksgiving was passing in a haze of smudged circulars and fuzzy screenshots with only the vague memory of turkey and family squashed around a table. Black Friday was a shopaholic’s holiday, and I thrilled at the buzz of being surrounded by holiday shoppers shuffling through stores while Christmas music blared at various levels of annoying.

This was my day, and I enjoyed it.

What could compare to the weight of overstuffed shopping bags about to rip? On Black Friday, I was a mighty hunter, and inside I would roar with delight at sales of 50 percent off — or more! The euphoria could not last.

Eventually, adult responsibilities outweighed the charm of a day of mad spending. As the sales started earlier and my wallet grew thinner, the thrill of the biggest shopping day of the year began to fade. At first, online shopping seemed the answer. I would happily hop on Amazon or Victoria's Secret and spend hours filling my virtual cart while football blared in the background and loved ones laughed over jokes I did not hear.

It didn't take long to realize that not only was my wallet still shrinking but so was my family. Jobs and marriages soon dictated a shorter Thanksgiving, and the few precious hours of family togetherness could not be wasted on the pursuit of acrylic sweaters and outdated cameras.

Black Friday has finally taken a backseat to Thanksgiving.

Last year, I did a turkey trot with one of my brothers, and the excitement of crossing the finish line was better than any sale. Afterward, we went home to family and turkey and a Skype session with our out-of-town brother. It was a day of feasting and gratitude, and it brought me the contentment I had looked for in holiday shopping.

I confess that I still glance through the paper on Thursday morning and check my email for sale updates. Old habits die hard, but it’s become a tiny piece of my day and not the defining moment.

Friday morning finds me nestled in my bed. I let the early birds wait in line for hours and fight over doorbusters while I spend the morning in my pajamas enjoying the long holiday weekend. Sometime in the afternoon, I might venture out but not really to shop. Instead, I soak up the holiday spirit that can still be found in a store newly decorated for Christmas, and I watch the frazzled shoppers go by. I was like them once.

Thanks to the Internet, you can partake of Black Friday deals with a little less madness this year thanks to advance planning and our list of all the holiday toy sales you just can't miss.

More: 10 Best gifts for grandparents that show them how much they mean

Whether you’re a stay-at-home shopper or a fight-the-crazy-crowds shopper, here are some amazing deals on toys that will help you plan your shopping strategy and get the most bang for your buck.

Amazon.com

Select toys from top construction brands such as K’NEX, Tegu and Magformers will be 40 percent off. That's a hefty savings for your junior builders.

Target

Lots of "doorbusters" and "deals" at Target, so get there early.

LEGO Dimensions starter packs are $79.99 (regularly $99).

Disney Infinity 3.0 and Skylanders SuperChargers starter packs are $34.99 (regularly $64.99 and $74.99, respectively).

Save over $40 on Guitar Hero Live — doorbuster price is $59.99!

Video games $15-$59.99. Select video games come with a $15 gift card.

My Size Barbie and a 7-pack of Disney Princess Dolls are on sale for $40 each (regularly priced at $59.99 and $79.99, respectively).

Select action figure sets (Star Wars, Thomas, Ninja Turtles) are buy one, get one 50 percent off.

Barbie playsets will also be at the "lowest price of the season."

More: 25 Gifts for her that she won't return the day after Christmas

GameStop

Xbox One 500GB Gears of War Ultimate Edition Bundle is on sale for $299 (regularly priced at $349). Includes full game download of Gears of War and early access to Gears of War 4 Beta.

PlayStation 4 Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection 500GB bundle is on sale for $299 (regularly priced at $349) and includes access to the mulitplayer beta for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.

Best Buy

If you're still looking for deals on video games and gaming systems, check out Best Buy.

Xbox One 500GB Gears of War and PlayStation 4 Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection 500GB bundle are both going for $299, which seems to be the most competitive sale price so far.

Deals on video games across various platforms for $29.99 (you save $30).

Sam’s Club

Guitar Hero Live for $69.98.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pedal car for $139.98.

Both of these are listed as special buys and will also be offered online with free shipping, so if you're looking to score these items at this price, no need to even get dressed. Sam’s Club doesn’t have a ton of toys in its Black Friday ad, but you can check it out to see what else they’ve got to offer.

Walgreens

If you want to shop while your turkey is cooking, Walgreens is open at 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Here are some examples of its best toy picks:

Buy one, get one free Nerf toys (this is a great deal for anyone needing to resupply their arsenal of Nerf darts!). The ad specifies that you have to have a Walgreens card, so you might want to get one in advance of Black Friday to save yourself some hassle.

Forty to 50 percent off selected kids' toys (it appears the selection may vary from store to store, but the Walgreens Black Friday ad shows Hot Wheels).

Kohl's

Kohl's has some great doorbuster deals (in store only) starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Doorbuster: Select toys are 50 percent off (Fisher Price, Playskool, Hot Wheels, Little Tikes, Barbie, Nerf, Tonka and more). Quantities are limited, and deals are valid until 1 p.m. Friday.

Black Friday deal: 55 percent off all Black Series and Propel RC remote control toys. The Black Series Thunder Tumbler remote controlled 360 degree rally car is a steal at $9.99. The regular price is $29.99.

Black Friday deal: Huge selection of toys for $24.99. Best deals are on Nerf Zombie Strike SlingFire rifle (regularly $59.99) and Fisher Price Ride-Ons (regularly $54.99).

Macy's

Macy's doesn't sell a lot of toys, but the store has a great doorbuster deal on battling robots from Platinum. You can get a set of two battling robots for $24.99 (regularly $60). The price jumps to $39.99 after 1 p.m., so get there early to snag these. Check out the rest of the great deals at Macy's for more savings and coupons.

Little Passports

Save 50 percent on the first month of any subscription using the code "BLACK50" (valid Nov. 27 and 28).

Save 40 percent on the first month of any subscription using the code "BLACK40" (valid Nov. 29 to Dec. 1).

Save 10 percent on all shop items on Nov. 27 and 28 (no code needed).

More: These chain stores are open on Thanksgiving this year

Don't see what you want here? Most stores’ ads will leak before the Thanksgiving newspapers are published, so if you don’t see your store listed here, keep scouring the Internet. If you shop at a locally owned store, ask what kind of Black Friday deals it might be planning.

Pro tip: If you want the really sweet deals on toys, plan your strategy in advance. Read the fine print in the ads, and make sure you're clear on what's a doorbuster and what's a deal. Some stores offer special pricing for specific hours but may also have later-in-the-day savings opportunities, so make sure you're taking note of the details.

And if you want to sleep in on Friday, there's always Cyber Monday.

Whether you brave the crowds or shop from home, happy shopping, and may the best deals be ever in your favor!

It's like Footloose, except with network television and the whole world watching. Only it may be even more embarrassing since it's also blatant discrimination if it's true.

More: DWTS' Derek Hough knocked from his freestyle pedestal by a Halloween nightmare

TMZ reports that openly gay artist Who Is Fancy and his team suggested that during his performance on the show on Nov. 23, they choreograph something for two men. His new song "Boys Like You," featuring Ariana Grande and Meghan Trainor, is all about a man falling in love with another man.

Who Is Fancy's choreographer apparently thought it would "be an awesome look to have 2 males dancing with each other."

But ABC thought it would be not so awesome.

The network responded with a flat-out no.

TMZ pointed out that "near dancing" on the show is acceptable, as in a performance this week on the show between Alek and Carlos. But something more intimate, like a ballroom dance, was not deemed acceptable.

More: DWTS' Val Chmerkovskiy defends Tamar Braxton's controversial return (VIDEO)

Not surprisingly, the backlash to this news has been quick and fierce.

Another source TMZ describes as "high-level" told the outlet, "Creative conversations are ongoing about the dance number."

More: Bindi Irwin speaks out about her father missing her performances on DWTS

Hopefully that's code for: Once we digest all of this backlash, we'll allow Who Is Fancy's choreographer to go for it since we don't want to be seen as discriminatory jerks.

So far, Who Is Fancy, Grande, Trainor and ABC have yet to publicly comment on the situation.

Do you think the network should allow a guy-on-guy dance?

Scientists call the act of going to work even when you're compromised, "presenteeism." It essentially means you're prone to pushing yourself to be productive, regardless of whether or not your body can keep up with you. While those who suffer from presenteeism might think they're getting things done, in reality, they're doing substandard work and negatively impacting all those around them.

Dr. Mariella Miraglia of the University of East Anglia and Gary Johns of Concordia University decided to conduct a study to figure out what causes presenteeism. They did a meta-analysis, which means they looked at data from 60 different studies spanning over 30 different countries, to see if they could identify any commonalities between 'presentees.' Unsurprisingly, what they found were a whole lot of negative personality traits. Here are five of the most prevalent.

More: 8 Easy ways to glide through flu season

They're always sick

Not like this is too much of a shocker either, but individuals who push themselves when they're already physically compromised put more stress on their bodies. That means they're perpetuating illnesses, and as a result, their bodies are even more susceptible to contracting other illnesses down the line. These are those people who whenever you ask how they're doing are always like, "Well, I've got a sinus infection, and strep (again), and my knee pain's acting up, but that's nothing new!"

They're easily stressed

Yes, a high-powered job can cause you to stress out over missing a moment of it, but only a certain type of person refuses to give themselves a break, especially when their body's begging for it. Working while sick puts even more stress on one's body and, much like the first trait above, becomes a vicious circle. Long-term stress can also impact you severely over time. Here's a handy infographic that exhibits the effects.

More: 5 Ways to protect yourself from the effects of stress

They hate their job OR they're obsessed with their job

Working while sick is not fun to say the least. People who perpetually do it can start to resent their job, even if there's no absentee policy forcing them to forgo sick days. "Working while ill can compound the effects of the initial illness and result in negative job attitudes and withdrawal from work," Dr. Miraglia wrote in his study. The flip side of this is they may be going to work sick, because they absolutely love their job, and can't bear to be apart from it for one day. While this is definitely a healthier reason to go to work sick, you're still compromising yourself (and others) by doing it.

They're less productive

Most people stay home when they realize their physical state will keep them from doing their job on point. Presentees don't consider this notion, and as a result, they sacrifice work quality, which is frustrating for bosses, and any employees who might be relying on them. According to research done on the subject in 2004, the United States loses over $150 billion to compromised productivity from presenteeism every year.

They don't care about getting others sick

Those who suffer from presenteeism convince themselves that going to work is better for them and their company overall, but in fact, it's compromising everyone. Showing up with the flu to an office filled with people is like letting a kid play with glitter. Soon there will be glitter on everything and everyone. And you know what's worse than one person working sick? 10 people working sick.

More: The John Lewis advert is even better than we'd hoped (WATCH)

Sainsbury’s festive ad for 2015 features a much-loved literary cat, Mog, who has been delighting kids since 1970 with “Mog the Forgetful Cat”.

Mog's creator Judith Kerr killed off the much-loved literary kitty in the 2002 book "Goodbye Mog", but she's come back to life for the Sainsbury's Christmas ad, and it's a cracker.

This advert isn’t just incredibly cute — it has an important message: “Christmas is for sharing”. Kerr, who has a cameo in the ad, has written a a new Mog book to coincide with Read On, Save The Children’s campaign to improve children’s literacy and cut the number of children who leave primary school unable to read well.

The charity's mission is to ensure that by 2025, every child is a confident reader by age 11.

More: Angry parents accuse new PayPal advert of "ruining Christmas" (WATCH)

Save The Children’s Tanya Steele told The Metro, "1 in 5 children will leave primary school unable to read well. The figures are worse for children living in families facing poverty. Many of us know that learning and education is a key ticket and a means out of poverty."

A Mog soft toy will also be released, and all profits raised will go to the Read On campaign.

What do you think of the Sainsbury's advert? Is it your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.

More: How to avoid "Gift Face" this Christmas (WATCH)

Don’t you just love it when food is served in an edible bowl? I do, and this gluten-free, seasoned, rice-stuffed, baked eggplant has me on cloud nine.

Fresh tomatoes, rice, walnuts and cheese each play a part in making this dish divine. The walnuts add a bit of extra texture and, mixed with the other ingredients, help transform this dish into a fabulous meal. Serve it with soup or a salad for a complete dinner.

Seasoned rice-stuffed baked eggplant recipe

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, top end sliced off, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup diced white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra to season the eggplant shells
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Use a paring knife to cut around the outside edge of the eggplant flesh, to about 1/4 inch from the shell. Score the inner flesh into cubes. Use a small spoon to scoop out the eggplant. Scrape away the seeds left behind in the shell. Brush both shells with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with a pinch of salt. Place in a baking dish, and set aside.
3. Steam the eggplant cubes, and set aside.
4. To a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes, and add the water. Mix to combine. Season with the salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and cumin. Add the chopped eggplant and walnuts to the skillet, and toss. Cook for a few more minutes.
6. Remove from the heat, and stir in the rice and 4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Toss to combine.
7. Evenly divide the mixture, and transfer it to the eggplant shells. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of each. Cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve warm.

More gluten-free recipes

Gluten-free waffles with strawberry-blueberry compote
Gluten-free veggie burrito bowls with brown rice and spicy crema
Gluten-free open-faced BLT cornbread sandwiches