It takes a simple method to get that perfect smoky flavor infused into eggplant. Just put them straight on the stovetop, and wait for the skin to get scorched black. Peel, discard the black skin, and voilà! Your eggplant has never tasted better. Of course you can also char the eggplant on a barbecue grill, but the stovetop method is much easier, and you can do it in any weather.

Once the eggplant is charred and the flesh is ready to be mixed with the other ingredients, the possibilities for flavors are endless. One of my favorite combinations is to mix it with feta, olives, herbs, lemon and good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (the quality always matters). If I have a bottle of my favorite brand of roasted bell peppers, then I chop them up too and mix them with the salad. The result is an incredible salad of really delicious Mediterranean flavors, and I strongly suggest you try it.

Charred smoky eggplant salad with feta, lemon and herbs recipe

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 big eggplants
• 1/4 cup olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup roasted bell peppers, coarsely chopped
• 1 organic lemon, zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh herbs, like parsley or thyme
• 5 ounces feta cheese, diced

Directions:

1. Using the tip of a knife, pierce the eggplants all around.
2. Place the eggplants straight on the stovetop on low heat or on the barbecue grill for about 10 minutes or until the skin is completely charred.
3. Peel the eggplants, discard the skin, then dice the pulp.
4. In a bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients except for the feta cheese. Adjust the taste, then mix in the feta cheese, being careful to not crumble it too much.

More eggplant recipes

Healthy eggplant Parmesan slices
Seasoned rice-stuffed baked eggplant
Parmigiana bites

Hate. It. Here are the five stages of doll-playing grief.

1. Denial

Your child wants to play dolls with you. You're excited to hear what their little minds come up with and to share this moment that may be one they will always remember. You can just see your child as an adult saying, "I loved playing dolls with my mom when I was a kid. She was so smart and cool. And super hot." So what if you haven't played a game involving imagination and pretend in 30 years? How hard can this be? We are going to have so much fun.

2. Anger

We are not having fun. First of all, what the hell are these dolls that look like vampire hookers? Are we playing "going to the club"? Is today's game about keeping Tiffany from getting roofied? Thank you, but no.

More: This viral child-care instruction sheet is one only a new mom could write

You also might get stuck with those soft little baby dolls, and there is little to no action that can take place with babies. Your babies aren't going to pretend to travel around the world or go to work — they can't even pretend to go for a walk because babies can't do anything. It's difficult to work when your imagination is being stifled this way.

It turns out that playing dolls is like going out to lunch with someone you don't know very well and learning that you have nothing to talk about.

Your doll: "Hey, why don't we go to the grocery store?"

Child's doll: "No, we just went yesterday."

Your doll: "Oh. OK."

*Crickets*

How do other dolls spend their time together? And why is it so hard to think of things for fake people to talk about? All your kid does most days is talk, and now is when they run out of nonsensical ideas? This is some b.s.

3. Bargaining

Eventually, you have to think of a way to make playing with dolls more tolerable. What if your child plays with them over there, and you sit on the couch and just provide the voice from time to time? Or what if your child plays the mommy/teacher/person in charge, and you can just respond to what they tell you to do? Or perhaps your doll is a deaf illiterate narcoleptic mute who hasn't learned sign language yet?

It's time to learn about the art of compromise, kiddo.

More: 17 Offensive kids' T-shirts that have made headlines

4. Depression

Let's just face facts here — you're terrible at playing with dolls. You have no imagination and are no fun whatsoever. Your child will look back at these times and sob to their therapist about how mom rarely played dolls with them and when she did she usually suggested that your dolls take a nap or go see a movie.

You are ruining their childhood. What kind of parent doesn't want to play make-believe with her kids? Those moms in the frozen-food commercials seem to love the heck out of playing with their kids, so what's wrong with you?

You are a terrible, terrible mother.

5. Acceptance

On the other hand, you do love your kids a whole lot, and you do a lot of other things with them. Do you need to be responsible for entertaining them every time they ask you to? Kids used to do chores on family farms all day long or come home late at night after putting in long hours at the factory — there's no way that their moms were gung-ho about playing "I'm going to be the baby that vomits on the mommy and you're going to be the mommy who gets mad" every day. Besides, this is just a single bullet point on what is a very long and detailed job description; once you fulfill the main requirements of food, shelter and love, then playing with dolls becomes more of an optional add-on task than a necessity.

Well, that all sounds acceptable. Make sure to run it by your boss after she gets done licking the furniture.

More: I'm that mom buying $100 dolls for her kids, and I'm not ashamed

Cousin Amy Duggar King has always been sort of the black sheep of the family, and her parents' divorce drama will only cement that reputation further. For while Anna Duggar so far has refused to leave Josh, even after he was revealed to have molested his own sisters and cheated on her, possibly with a porn star, Amy's parents actually are pulling the trigger on a divorce — and it is already getting ugly.

More: Amy Duggar's family secret may be deeper and darker than we thought

In documents filed in Arkansas, Amy's father, Terry Jordan, claims that he separated from her mom, Deanna Duggar, due to her "intolerable" treatment of him.

"The Defendant has treated the Plaintiff with such indignities as to render his condition in life intolerable," Jordan's attorney, Elizabeth Finocchi, stated in the Washington County Circuit Court papers.

Hinting at a volatile relationship, the documents went on to claim the pair "resided together off-and-on" during their nine-year marriage. Back in 1992, Deanna filed a retraining order against Jordan, claiming he had threatened to kill her and "the baby" — likely Amy.

More: Amy Duggar's husband outs the family for ignoring the Josh Duggar scandal

The same restraining order cast doubt on whether or not Jordan is Amy's biological father, as Deanna stated he had "no paternal roots" to her child.

Amy has not commented on her parents' split, but her recent tweets reveal that she is seriously blue and contemplating the meaning of marriage.

More: It was a very Duggar Christmas at Josh's sex rehab

Will Anna and Josh be the next Duggars to hit up divorce court? Don't hold your breath.

More: Duggar cousin Amy King wants to "throw a middle finger up" to her haters

More: Viola Davis wants her true-life rags to riches story to be a fairy tale

As soon as the trailer for True Life: I Had My Cousin's Baby premiered yesterday, the Internet heaved a collective sigh of "WTF."

Yet the enthusiasm of some other responses made it perfectly clear why MTV chose consensual incest as their latest topic to exploit.

My reaction — though negative — is a bit different from the ones above. My objection to the episode has nothing to do with the content or the people documented. In fact, if I believed that True Life: I Had My Cousin's Baby would offer a smart and sensitive portrait of the lives of the two couples profiled, I would be inclined to watch it. Genetic sexual attraction is a real phenomenon, and though it's most common among blood relatives who are reunited as adults, it's possible to happen to people who have known each other their whole lives. When incest is the product of an abusive, coercive or nonconsensual dynamic, it is wrong to act on. But when two consenting adults fall in love and decide to embark on a committed relationship? It's unusual, certainly, and it's highly stigmatized in our culture, but neither of those make it wrong, per se.

Even the "facts" that we believe we know about consensual incest aren't entirely true. While many friends and family members in the trailer express concerns about birth defects, studies have proven that the offspring of first cousins rarely develop serious birth defects. That is frequently cited as the most common reason to oppose sexual relations between cousins, and if that's not as serious a concern as we once believed, what, exactly, is the problem?

More: Another Period premieres strong with incest and sibling rivalry

So, no, my skepticism about True Life: I Had My Cousin's Baby is not because I object to how these couples are consensually choosing to live their lives, or because there isn't any value in discussions about incest, family planning or alternative relationships. My concerns are because of True Life's reputation.

Since the late 1990s, True Life has documented topics from the mundane (I'm a Cheerleader, I'm Going to Prom, I'm an Identical Twin) to the unusual (I'm a Professional Gamer, I Have Autism, I Live in a Brothel). And while the concept of profiling individuals with exceptional or intriguing life stories and identities is a noble one, the show has never been without controversy. It has been accused of stereotyping, diluting authenticity with scripted scenes and relying on pseudoscience to support dubious claims. Even though MTV purports to be amplifying the voices of ordinary people living extraordinary lives, many are critical of the show for sensationalizing those lives rather than portraying them factually and believably.

More: Clueless Fox News correspondent finally goes too far

While reading reactions to the trailer for True Life: I Had My Cousin's Baby online, I didn't come across any that said, "Oh, this sounds like an informative or enlightening documentary," or "I can't imagine how difficult life must be for them." The reactions fell into three distinct categories: disbelief, disgust and amusement. Perhaps a documentary about consensual incest would fare better on PBS, but MTV knows the demographic that it's courting. And its not an audience seeking well-researched or sensitive takes on the material — it's an audience looking to gawk at perceived "weirdos."

Perhaps I'm selling the episode short and perhaps I should revisit this article once I've watched it. (I won't lie — watching the trailer did pique my curiosity.) But I've watched enough MTV to have my suspicions and I won't be shocked if they turn out to be true.

True Life: I Had My Cousin's Baby will premiere on MTV this Thursday, Dec. 31. If you're interested in adding a dose of vicarious cousin-love to your New Year's Eve plans, check out the trailer below.

Learning to deal with Canadian winters

For many refugees, the Canadian winter was one of the hardest things to get used to. Mahad Yusuf tells CBC's The Current that after fleeing Somalia in 1981, he arrived in December in the snow, knowing no English. The language barrier was tough enough, but "dealing with the weather" also ranked pretty high on his list of challenges: "I didn't know how to dress. I didn't know how to you know, wear gloves in cold weather — it was a little bit of culture shock."

Iranian refugee Haida Amirizadeh tells CBC that she was seven months pregnant when she arrived in Canada, speaking no English. Yet, it was the weather that was her "biggest challenge," she recalls. She remembers how important it was "... to learn how to dress warm and use the transit system so you didn't get stuck in the cold."

More: Syrian refugees receive a warm welcome on arrival in Toronto

Overcoming isolation

For many refugees, picking up and leaving loved ones and everything that's familiar behind can be incredibly lonely. Kelly Hong Mien Lee tells CBC that she felt "very lonely" when she left her native Vietnam for Canada: "It was definitely tough. I didn't speak any English at all. I was definitely very shy and I didn't have any friends. I guess most of the time I was in the bathroom, just hiding in there because I'd feel more secure in there."

She advices the Syrian refugees to avoid the temptation to stay in the house and get out and meet new people: “When you are home in the four walls, you will become very sad, very lonely, you will separate yourself from everybody and it doesn’t help as a newcomer. It doesn’t help you to integrate with everybody.” 

Yusuf suggests getting your kids integrated in community activities as well: “The most important advice to Syrian refugees is — number one — getting the kids in recreational programs that exist in the city.”

More: Syrian refugee crisis: Five ways we can help

Embracing Canada's multiculturalism

Amirizadeh encourages newcomers to get to know people from different cultures than themselves and be openminded: "This is the most beautiful thing about Canada is there are people from different backgrounds and different religions and cultures here right in Canada," she says.

"This difficult time will pass and it will get easier."

More: Trudeau asks Canadians to help Syrian refugees

A source who spoke with E! News called the scare a "wake up call," and confirmed that Kardashian was, in fact, hospitalized for a brief time over the holiday weekend.

More: Rob Kardashian gets strange reaction over sweet post for Khloé (PHOTO)

Though it's unclear exactly what caused Kardashian to be hospitalized, his blood sugar levels were apparently very high, according to E!'s source. TMZ reports that he was diagnosed with diabetes. No doubt, it was caused by his excessive weight gain over the past few years and doctors apparently told him that he needs to make his health a priority. They recommended he make weight loss, exercise and diet changes immediately otherwise his condition could worsen.

Kardashian's weight gain hasn't just affected his health but every aspect of his life. His sister Khloé Kardashian has admitted that it has made him so insecure that he has become reclusive, and the family has worried about his mental health.

Khloé explained in her book, Strong Looks Better Naked, "I love him and he knows I love him, but he fell into a deep, dark place and couldn't find his way back. I've tried to help him, as has the entire family, but our efforts have largely been in vain. From time to time, though, he decides he's going to fix things his way, and he plunges in headfirst. Inevitably, it doesn't work."

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

And though Khloé clearly has her doubts about her brother's ability to help himself, she is still one of his biggest supporters. Just a few weeks ago, she took to Instagram with some inspiring words for her brother.

It even seemed like Rob was getting himself healthy back in September when he returned to Instagram with some positive messages.

More: Rob Kardashian reportedly makes touching offer to save Lamar Odom's life

Unfortunately, this latest news of his health has us believing that his most recent attempt didn't stick. Hopefully this time will be the charm.

More: Mom on airplane forced to show breast pump to prove she's not a terrorist

Australian television reporter Jodi Lee recently caught a flight on budget airline Jetstar, but it was not a pleasant one at all. According to news.com.au, Lee had injured her Achilles tendon during a trip to Thailand and came on board with a doctor's note indicating that she needed to keep her leg elevated, but the airline refused her request to be upgraded to business class.

Although the airline responded to the allegations in a lengthy statement to The New Zealand Herald, saying, "It's disappointing that Ms Lee's experience with us didn't meet her expectations but our team did try to make her flight with us more comfortable." They then went on to detail how they accommodated Lee's injury.

More: WestJet's new airplane gives us another reason to love them (VIDEO)

Limited mobility from an injury makes air travel much more complicated, and sometimes it's not possible to reschedule your trip. But is your airline expected to upgrade you so you can sit in comfort instead of having small children trip over your cast (and cause you an incomprehensible amount of pain) while you're stuck in economy?

Well, that largely depends on your airline.

According to the Daily Mail, if a passenger breaks their leg, there is usually an option to be upgraded. Almost two-thirds of airline staff surveyed by Skyscanner revealed that a passenger with a broken bone would be more likely to be upgraded free of charge.

More: 'Happy meals' launched at Gatwick Airport to cheer up grumpy passengers

British Airways' website states that passengers travelling with a full leg cast "can travel in our First and Club World (business long haul) cabins that offer more legroom. To be able to travel in our other cabins you will need to buy an extra seat with moveable armrests so you can elevate your leg."

While director of campaigns and communications at Choice.com.au Matt Levey told The Huffington Post Australia that travellers are solely responsible for their injuries.

"Consumers need to take responsibility for any mishaps that happen when travelling. Don't assume that travel providers, in particular airlines, are going to do you any favours," Levey said. "If you don't have travel insurance, you are at the mercy of the airline's cancellation and rebooking policies. Depending on the category of your ticket, this might involve forfeiting most or all of your fare, and paying some significant extra fees."

It appears that when injured, you are at the mercy of the airline, and they do not appear to be under any obligation to upgrade you. That's why travel insurance is a must! But remember, the easiest way to get an upgrade is to just ask, and do so with a pleasant attitude.

Do you feel airlines should be obligated to upgrade passengers who have suffered injuries while on holiday? Or should they be expected to pay for such perks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

More: French Montana's pic with Kourtney Kardashian takes aim at Scott Disick (PHOTO)

In a sneak peek of next Sunday's Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Disick sits down with all the Kardashian ladies, including Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and mom Kris Jenner. And the ladies don't hold back from unleashing some hard questions on Kourtney's ex.

"This is the stuff that I don't understand: You say, ‘Oh, I don't have a family and I don't have all these things,' and then we give you one. Why do you destroy it?" Khloé asks pointedly.

Disick's response comes peppered between emotional tears, "I'm sure you guys have heard a lot of horrible things about me that I should have just been honest with, but I was too ashamed that I was going to hurt everybody in this family and not just her. I've apologized to Kourtney a hundred times, but I've never apologized to, like, all of you for letting all of you down and embarrassing you guys… I understand I need to help myself before I can help her or my kids."

More: Kourtney Kardashian is having a shocking romance with a younger man

Unfortunately, his heartfelt words have done little for followers of the show.

But his apology might be enough for the Kardashians, specifically Jenner, who tears up right along with Disick in the clip. Though Kourtney also tears up, the way her arms are crossed and her eyes aren't meeting his suggests she's far from the point of forgiveness.

More: Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick show signs of getting back together

Check out the sneak peek below.

Do you think Scott Disick deserves forgiveness?

It's official! Miranda Lambert is definitely dating fellow musician Anderson East.

According to In Touch Weekly, East's stepfather, Randall Ennis, exclusively confirmed that Lambert and East have been seeing each other “for a couple of weeks.”

More: Miranda Lambert isn't afraid to date a younger man — and make NYE plans with him

Ennis also gave us some more information about Lambert's mystery man. Firstly, East's birth name is Michael Cameron Anderson.

“Michael’s an awesome kid,” Ennis gushed to In Touch. “He’s got his head on straight and knows what he wants in life… he’s just an amazing kid. He’s outgoing, he just never meets a stranger. He’s very polite.”

Polite is good. Having goals is great. It looks like Lambert's new man is a pretty good catch. Not too shabby for a rebound.

More: Miranda Lambert's performance post-divorce will break your heart (VIDEO)

As for Lambert, Ennis has a lot less information. He actually doesn't know much about her.

“To be honest with you, I don’t really follow country music so I really didn’t even know who she was,” Ennis revealed.

Maybe East can send his stepdad some of Lambert's CDs or an iTunes gift card so he can get familiar with her music. It may be a good idea for him to make the effort. It sounds like East may be bringing Lambert around to his parents in the near future.

More: Miranda Lambert's fur coat causes heated debate among followers (PHOTO)

Is East the kind of guy who would take a woman home to meet his mom? Ennis shared, “Oh I’m sure he will!”

If a guy's a good catch, he'll want his lady to meet his mom. Hopefully the two ladies will hit it off. Hopefully she's already a Lambert fan and, if not, here's hoping she becomes one in the near future.

Kylie Jenner is only 18, but she's had to deal with some very grown-up situations. She's had a surprising friend help her through tough times related to cyberbullying: Justin Bieber.

More: Kylie Jenner pleads for privacy on Twitter

Jenner is on the cover of Elle U.K.'s February issue and she shares why she launched #IAmMoreThan. "I came up with the idea because I feel like being a teenage girl and growing up in the spotlight, online bullying is kind of inevitable. I'm OK with that," she explains.

"It hurts me still but I can handle it and I know it comes with the lifestyle, and it's just mean people on the Internet doing what they do. But I just wanted to find real people with real stories about their bullying and how they overcame it."

More: Kylie Jenner is nearly unrecognizable on her 18th birthday (PHOTOS)

The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star shares how she's been able to cope with the pressure of growing up in the spotlight. She thanks Justin Bieber for helping her get through some of her toughest times. "I'm so close to him because I feel like he's been through exactly what I've been through in a completely different way but very similar," she tells Elle U.K.. "So, he's just... he just... he gets me, and every time I see him he always sits me down and is like, 'Are you OK? You're amazing. You can get through this, just stay true to yourself.'

"He helps me a lot."

That warms my little Belieber heart.

Jenner also shares that she doesn't plan to be a social media star forever. Despite being a major player on Instagram, Snapchat and her app, Jenner says that she'll shut down her social media once she has a family. "Once I have a kid I'm not going to be on Instagram," she says.

More: Kylie Jenner's glamorous wheelchair photo shoot branded insensitive (PHOTOS)

Neither Kim Kardashian West nor Kourtney Kardashian have slowed down their social media presence since having kids. I'll believe it when I see it.

So, he figured this was the perfect time to propose to his girlfriend.

More: Fireman's classroom proposal to his teacher girlfriend is adorable (VIDEO)

"Marry me. Took me hours to pick this ring out none of them were good enough for you," he texted his girlfriend. Either this is an incredibly sweet message — like "none of them were good enough" because she's so special — or a passive aggressive dig. Not quite sure, but his girlfriend was pretty thrilled with the proposal.

"OMG!!!!!!! You serious?!?!? Baby YES!!!!! I'm balling [sic] my eyes out right now. OMG!" the woman identified in the text as Heather wrote back. Then they both exchanged "I love you"s.

More: Internet helps couple find stranger who took their amazing engagement photo

The proposal seems like the perfectly imperfect ending to a year full of over-the-top proposals. There was the one with the guy who used a puppy to pop the question. Then there was the husband-to-be who took his wife-to-be on an around-the-world quest as a part of their proposal. And then there was the one where the guy knocked out a would-be robber who interrupted his special speech.

And you know what? Good for them. While many of us would scoff at the lack of planning that went into his proposal, it's clearly working for them, and sometimes the simplest methods are the best.

More: Dad uses his newborn daughter in adorable hospital proposal (WATCH)

We just don't think Chicago will end up being their honeymoon destination.

In a new clip from Teen Mom OG, Farrah Abraham talks to her mother, Debra, about caring for her daughter, Sophia, while Farrah is in England filming Celebrity Big Brother UK. As she lays down the ground rules for her mother, Farrah gets critical.

More: Farrah Abraham continues to embarrass herself on Celeb Big Bother UK (VIDEO)

“So you know, there are rules to my house, you know, 'cause sometimes you like to put the laundry in there with two things and waste soap,” Farrah tells her mom in the clip. “Sometimes you don’t understand how we wash, we clean.”

“Don’t worry, Farrah. If I need to wash something, I’ll buy the soap,” Debra replies. “It doesn’t matter to me.” 

But Farrah is offended by her mother and shoots back, “Oh, I’m not worried about the soap, and if that’s a bitchy comment you should probably hold it back. That’s why nannies get fired.”

More: Farrah Abraham's haters put her on blast for being ugly on the inside (PHOTOS)

Debra reminds Farrah that she's not a nanny, but a close family member who has her best interests at heart. But it falls on deaf ears.

“You know what I want? I want my mom to listen to me, and I want her to understand and not be a bitch to me when I say how I like things done,” Farrah yells as daughter Sophia slaps her arm to get her attention. “It’s very serious. It bothers me that I’m away from my daughter. You know how serious it is to me that I let you stay at my house and watch my daughter when I’m gone for a month? It’s so serious that I think of it as if I pass away and I need somebody to watch my daughter for 18 years to get her through life and make her successful that you would do that, and you’d better listen.”

More: Teen Mom berates her daughter for basic kid behavior

Debra's eyes well up with tears as Sophia says to her mother, “You are having a bad attitude!”

If a 6-year-old needs to tell you how vicious you are, then you had better pause. Actually, a 6-year-old shouldn't be exposed to that kind of language and tone.

Grandmothers aren't nannies and Farrah should be grateful that her mother is stepping in to take care of her child. But if she needs to control every one of her mother's actions, then please, don't do it in front of Sophia.

Teen Mom OG premieres Monday, Jan. 4, at 10 p.m. EST on MTV.

More: 5 Moments that might have been faked in Kate Plus 8 Season 4

Rather, Gosselin's children call out their mom tonight for getting to do all of the fun stuff when it comes to landscaping their yard, and Leah suggests that the show be renamed to "Kate Plus Kate."

Now, we doubt she was actually serious about a name change. Rather, Leah was just calling out her mom's type A personality. Not to mention, the kids weren't too happy that the landscape resulted in the destruction of their secret hideout. Although, Gosselin did make a good decision to keep the boys away from that chainsaw.

But Leah's comment does bring up an interesting point about the show: What is it really about? Or is TLC just riding off the Gosselin name for ratings?

More: Kate Gosselin's diva demands exposed in new book

It seems that everyone online really just enjoys poking fun at the Gosselins while throwing in some clever jokes as well. And Leah's "Kate Plus Kate" quote definitely did not go unnoticed.

Now, I can actually relate to the show. I may only have two sisters, but the casual bickering and the way simple adventures turn complicated when family dynamics are added is all too familiar. And after being home for the holidays, no fact about the show struck me more than the utter normalcy of the Gosselin clan.

More: Are Kate Gosselin's television days over? Don't bet on it

Still, I've gotten my family fix for the holidays. And I'm not sure how much more I can take. Especially when the family isn't even my own.

Why do you watch Kate Plus 8? Is it just for the Gosselin drama?

The company (clinic?) offers three different types of hangover treatments administered via IV. And it doesn't come cheap: The "Easy Does It" — which includes one liter of fluid and "comfort measures" from the staff — costs $110. Then there's the "Heavy Handed" with fluid, anti-nausea or pain relief for $150. The "Good God!" is the most expensive of the three at a whopping $260 and includes two liters of fluids and "specially-formulated electrolytes and vitamins."

More: Do Daith piercings really cure migraines?

Good IV also offers other types of IV treatments for jet lag and sports recovery that will set you back $100. Oh, and they also have add-ons, including a dose of Pepcid or Zofran for $25. Yes, seriously.

The company isn't the only one to offer IV therapy for various ailments — shops are now located all over the United States and have grown somewhat in popularity in recent years. The thought is that the mega-dose of vitamins can fix anything that ails us, but it's not that simple.

More: What you need to know about essential oils

"There is absolutely no need for anyone to receive IV nutrients who doesn't have a malabsorption syndrome and is able to eat," California-based David Belk, M.D., told SheKnows. "It's an incredible waste of money."

Plus, it could be dangerous if the staff at these clinics doesn't have medical training.

"IV lines can get infected, and who's doing this?" he said, adding that there's no guarantee you're actually getting the vitamins and not just a placebo. "Is this being done by actual health care professionals? Are the IVs being placed by licensed nurses, doctors or PAs? Who supplies these nutrients?"

More: The future of dieting lies in your DNA

Better idea: Take it easy New Year's Day, drink some water and take some antacids (that you buy for, like, $7 at the pharmacy) and you'll be back to normal in no time without spending big bucks.

Being the child of a Housewife is likely challenging in and of itself, but having a reality star mom with significant health issues must be especially stressful at times. Unfortunately, Foster is not doing much to ease this burden. Granted, it is her children's job to be a source of support for their mother during this trying time, but they are young, so there is only so much they can realistically handle.

More: RHOBH fans concerned about Yolanda Foster's use of colonics

The last thing Foster's kids needed right before sending their mom off to surgery was to see her will. Yes, it's smart for her to make sure her kids are prepared for a possible future without their beloved mother, but timing is important. When a will is flashed in front of their faces immediately prior to surgery, the implication is that their mom probably won't make it.

More: Kim Richards continues to film RHOBH for a surprising reason

Foster is not typically thought of as the most drama-prone of the Beverly Hills Housewives, but in the midst of the Lyme disease controversy, a few former fans are beginning to rethink their once-rosy perception of this beloved Housewife. She certainly took the drama to a new level when she decided to bring up her will at such an inopportune moment. According to a few disgruntled viewers, she was, in addition to overly dramatic, incredibly manipulative. Several of these annoyed RHOBH fans took to Twitter to share their displeasure, with a few even claiming that Foster's decision to force her kids to look over her will was downright cruel.

Although many RHOBH fans were upset about Foster's timing, a few thought that it was important for her to prepare her kids for the worst-case scenario. Instead of accusing Foster of being manipulative, these fans applauded the bravery with which she tackled this difficult conversation.

Regardless of how they interpreted the scene involving Foster's will and her kids, nearly all fans agreed that it was the most uncomfortable scene in an already-awkward episode of RHOBH. The awkwardness with Foster is bound to continue as the show follows a story line far too reminiscent of Brooks Ayers on RHOC.

More: Kim Richards continues to film RHOBH for a surprising reason

Do you think Yolanda Foster behaved in a manipulative manner during tonight's episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Comment and share your opinion below.

And it involves something big and sparkly.

More: Christina Milian is single: Calls off engagement to Jas Prince

Milian went engagement ring shopping with Dom on tonight's Christina Milian Turned Up. But she was thinking less about rings for Lizzy and more about rings for herself.

"Sure would be nice if my man put a ring on it," she admitted. She even tried a few on herself!

But Milian's happiness and hope for the future was overshadowed by the fact that we know, currently, Lil Wayne and Milian aren't together. The show is a few months behind the current situation.

And although watching Milian get stars in her eyes for engagement rings knowing that they aren't in her near future was sad, Milian actually seems to be in a good place for herself.

More: Hot couple alert? Christina Milian dating Lil Wayne

During an October interview with People, Milian revealed that she thinks a reconciliation could be possible.

"It takes a big man and a big woman to actually say like, 'Okay, I'm in love with you, but I can't keep forcing it — it's only pushing us apart.'"

But Milian then added, "Eventually, who knows! There might be a right time. This might be just it, and at the end of the day we're still here. We talk to each other still every day."

And already in the show, it's clear there are threads of uncertainty in Milian's relationship.

"Honestly how do you trust him when he's away?" Nicole Williams asked her tonight during their heart to heart about relationships.

More: Christina Milian dishes about Dancing with the Stars

"Just recently we went through something and it was kinda like, it was the first time that it actually really really hurt me this time," Milian revealed. Lil Wayne reportedly cheated on her with a stripper. "It was a lie and it was with a girl, but it was really more about the lie."

She added that Lil Wayne "realized I wasn't playing around this time." She also said, "He wants to work it out."

But it's a huge leap to go from uncertainty and a big fight to an engagement. And it seems like eventually the two agreed and decided to go their separate ways. Sort of. For now.

Do you think Lil Wayne and Christina Milian will reconcile soon?

More: Maci Bookout's new clothing line is causing huge controversy (PHOTOS)

"It's so to the point where I'm like, 'Really, what is the deal?'" Bookout said about her longtime boyfriend, Taylor McKinney, and the fact that he has yet to propose.

Bookout and McKinney have been together since 2012, and have a daughter, Jayde, together, who was born in May. But even though the Teen Mom Season 5 finale last spring showed McKinney ring shopping, he still hasn't gotten down on one knee.

According to Bookout, it's only a matter of time.

"Marriage is something I want in my life," Bookout shared in her new interview with Us Weekly. "In my opinion — and I think Taylor would agree — we pretty much are already married. So it's kind of like, 'All right, what are we waiting on?' I'm confused."

More: Teen Mom's Maci Bookout reveals details on Bentley's hospital visit (PHOTO)

Whether McKinney proposes soon or not, Bookout does note that they live together and that they "make a really good team," raising both Jayde and Bentley, Bookout's 7-year-old son with her ex-fiancé, Ryan Edwards.

"I don't think we would be able to do everything we have going on if we didn't have each other," she added.

And Bookout hasn't been shy about her feelings for her longtime beau. "I got lost in you and it felt exactly like being found," she wrote next to a picture of her and McKinney together on Instagram on October. Bookout and McKinney make an adorable couple and seem super happy, so we can't help but wonder along with her, what's the holdup?

More: Teen Mom's Maci Bookout engagement rumors refueled by new diamond ring (PHOTO)

Do you think Maci Bookout and Taylor McKinney will be engaged soon? What do you think is taking him so long to get down on one knee? Head down to the comments and share your thoughts.

Even if your intention is just to be cute or funny, science says you might have ulterior, sexy motives under that winky face. According to a recent study by the popular dating site Match.com, singles who use emojis regularly have sex on the brain a lot more often than those who don't use them as regularly.

More: New emoji keyboard will meet all your sexting needs

They surveyed 5,000 users on their site and found that the more frequently singles used emojis in their texts, the more they were having sexy thoughts. According to Match.com, people who use more than one emoji in every text are thinking about sex several times a day.

There may also be a correlation here between overuse of emojis and sexual frustration, but that's just my personal opinion. I can't think of a better way to turn off a prospective date than by flooding them with various smiley faces and eggplant pics.

However, according to this data, frequent use of emojis in texts is a relatively common practice among singles — 36 to 40 percent of those surveyed said they use more than one emoji in every text they send. This is also the same group that thinks about sex several times a day. So I suppose the real question is, which came first? The sexual eagerness or the impulsive need to shoot out tiny pictures?

More: Forget words, it's all about the emoji keyboard now — and it's brilliant

Generally speaking, emojis are becoming more and more a primary method of communication, especially among the millennial population. Millennials gravitate toward these little pictures as well as to short videos because they can say a lot without really having to say anything at all. It's why apps like Snapchat and Vine are so catchy — they allow you to be hyper expressive using mere seconds of moving imagery. Thus it makes sense that singles (who are predominantly of the millennial generation) would use emojis to flirt rather than wordy texts.

So what emojis are the single kids using to get their flirt on these days? Here are the most popular ones, according to Match.com:

1. The "winky face"

By far the most favored, 53 percent of women and men claim to use this emoji.

2. The "blushing smiley face"

A little discrepancy here: 41 percent of women use this smiley face compared to only 33 percent of men. I suppose guys telling us to "smile" finally worked...

3. The "kissing winky face"

Slightly bolder than just the wink alone, this one is used by 24 percent of women and 30 percent of men.

And believe it or not, there are emojis that Match singles would never dare to use while textually flirting. Those that got the highest votes were the "see no evil" monkey (31 percent), the "lipstick kiss" (34 percent) and the "sassy girl" emoticon (39 percent). Because apparently nobody likes a sassy girl on a first date.

More: Vagina emojis are here, and they are glorious

So yes, using emojis seems to denote some level of excitement, especially if you're trying to appeal to someone you like. But does that mean it's always sexual excitement? Of course not. Or at least that's what I'll be telling myself the next time I get 12 emojis in one text from my soon-to-be mother-in-law.

The hot and heavy hookup, seen by most as Kourtney's huge rebound from her baby daddy, Scott Disick, is causing a major rift between her and sister Kim, according to a source close to the clan.

"Kim has told Kourtney she's a disgrace and it's lame and disgusting," the insider told Radar Online about Kim's feelings on big sister Kourtney's May-December romance.

"Kim has been begging Kourtney to think of the kids instead of constantly trying to get back at Scott Disick with all these 'look at me' outings and sleazy late nights with Justin and other young kids," the source said, probably referring to the reports that Kourtney has also been tied to Sean Combs' son, Quincy. Kim is totally "grossed out to see this type of behavior from her big sister, of all people," the insider added.

But her own sister may be the least of Kourtney's worries. Bieber is currently on a hot tropical vacay, and he definitely is not alone. Joining him on the family vacation is gorgeous blonde Hailey Baldwin, and the two longtime friends looked awfully cozy together.

More: 6 Things Scott Disick and Justin Bieber actually have in common

More: Scott Disick reportedly dissed Justin Bieber at Chris Brown's party

Strange mating habits.

Actually, Baldwin might have an ulterior motive for her presence in paradise. According to another source, Kendall Jenner stepped in and begged her friend to put a stop to the romance between Bieber and Kourtney.

"Kendall has been pressuring Hailey to talk to Justin about Kourtney, and how much drama it's causing between her and Scott. Kendall thinks Kourtney and Scott still have a chance, but not as long as Justin's in the picture. She's hoping Hailey can knock some sense into his head," an insider told Hollywood Life.

Kourtney has not commented on any of it.

While feeling like our home will never be uncluttered or clean again, because kids, and spending approximately 48 minutes trying to clean up all the Christmas glitter, because kids (two girls), I headed to the kitchen to do what I actually know how to do: Bake pasta with sausage.

This is the ideal meal if you’re short on time but need something that looks totally fancy and is completely filling. It's so delicious because the filling is mixed with a bit of veggies as well as cheese and tomato sauce, really allowing the sausage to shine through. It’s then covered with more sauce and more cheese, and then it’s finally ready for domination.

Fusilli pasta bake with ground turkey sausage recipe

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes | Bake time: 15 minutes | Inactive time: 10 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (500-gram) box fusilli pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound ground turkey sausage
• Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced into thin rounds (you can also use any other vegetables you have on hand — sliced bell peppers, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, etc.)
• 1 (24-ounce) jar tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package.
2. Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.
4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
5. Break up the turkey sausage meat, and add it to the skillet. Season the meat with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until browned on all sides.
6. Drain, and transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl.
7. To the same skillet, add the rest of the olive oil, and cook over medium heat.
8. Add the onions, garlic and rosemary, and cook for 1 minute.
9. Add the sliced zucchini and yellow squash. Continue to cook for 4 – 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring frequently.
10. Stir in the cooked sausage and the jar of tomato sauce. Continue to cook for 3 minutes.
11. In the meantime, drain the pasta, and add it to the skillet. Stir in 1/2 of the grated Parmesan cheese, and remove the skillet from the heat.
12. Transfer the pasta mixture to the previously prepared baking dish.
13. Smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
14. Bake for 15 minutes.
15. Remove the dish from oven, and let it stand for 5 – 10 minutes.

More comfort food recipes

Slow cooker meatball soup — your favorite pasta dish, reimagined
Creamy vegan mac and no cheese will fool even the biggest dairy lovers
Company-worthy comfort food: Creamy butternut-pancetta pappardelle