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An Amazon Echo can do a lot of things. It can play music, brew coffee, order pizza, and even help you find better deals on Amazon shopping holidays. It can definitely make a person feel a little like Big Brother is watching them, however. Amazon Echo is always listening, and that makes some people a little uncomfortable about privacy issues. Nobody wants to think their speakers are spying on them. Now Alexa has a new app that is a little less “Big Brother” and more “nosy mother-in-law,” because it tracks and records a user’s alcohol consumption and tells them when they’re drinking too much.

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Gift guides are my favorite part of the holidays. Sure, the holidays are about family and togetherness and all that good stuff, but they’re also about finding out that Oprah thinks we should buy $50 blueberries this year, and that the Neiman Marcus will sell you your own personal brand of Champagne for $150,000. I wait all year for the annual gift guides to start coming out, and Goop’s is one of the best. Every year Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand introduces us to things like personal submarines and $114 toothpaste.

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Stuffing is the most beloved leftover in my husband’s family — my mother in-law makes extra pans of her infamous recipe for each of her kids to take home every year. My husband could eat his leftovers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner straight from the pan, but I find a little extra work makes stuffing leftovers worth every savory bite. Here’s our favorite reheating method, plus two other fast and fun methods to try.

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Mashed potatoes are the singular dish that makes me love the holidays, and I always insist that there be more than enough for leftovers to eat reheated or to become everything from breakfast bowls to pancakes. Reheating mashed potatoes is relatively easy, but there are two ingredients you can add to help avoid gluey potatoes and make the leftovers taste more like freshly made ones. Here’s how to do it.

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You’ve probably just spent the last day or two cooking and are looking forward to the pure post-Thanksgiving joy that is days of turkey sandwiches, soups, and leftover pies. Here, we’ll cover the best way to reheat your leftover turkey as well as some guidelines for microwaving those leftovers for when “best” translates to “fastest.”

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Good morning, everyone. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving—however you chose to celebrate. Today, as previously announced, we’re upending  tradition (and our usual blog schedule) to do something different. On Tuesday, I shared alternatives to the customary Black Friday lines.

Today I’ve turned over the blog to some of our Mark’s Daily Apple, Primal Blueprint, Primal Kitchen, and Primal Health Coach “worker bees” who are generously sharing what they’re doing today to get outside and spend time with those they love.

“Suns out, buns out.” — Morgan Buehler

“Earlier this year my husband (and fellow Primal Worker Bee), Farhad, lost his father, so we will be honoring Mansour’s memory by participating in all his favorite activities—lots of good food, laughs, and family time out and about in San Fransisco. Wishing you lots of fun, love, and togetherness this holiday season!” — Liz, Farhad, & Maya Mostaedi

“Spending time with family during the holidays is such a joy. We are so fortunate to have my dad still with us, since his stroke last year. We cherish this time to get close and reflect on so many things we are truly thankful for.” — Feeling blessed, The Frustere Family

“The Taylors are back at Lindsay’s childhood home in Michigan where it’s coooold (compared to California anyway), so we are opting to unplug and unwind in good old-fashioned (indoor!) ways.” — Lindsay Taylor

“I live in the country, so not only am I not going anywhere near the mall on Black Friday, but I am committing to not even setting foot in the city! Instead I’ll take my two young horses for a leisurely walk down the road. It helps expose them to new sights, sounds, and smells—all of which are good training opportunities for a couple of untrained baby horses—and it’s an excuse for me to get a few miles of walking in.” — Erin Power

“I love spending time outdoors with friends and family! I consider it an important part of my wellness routine to get in some movement during the day outside, and I’ll definitely be spending Black Friday unwinding by hiking in the mountains/practicing yoga on the beach.” — Annie Martin

“There’s no better gift than waking up to this sunrise on the North Shore of Lake Superior. We’ll be hiking along the shoreline and relaxing in the cabin today.” — Jennifer Wannen

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone. I’d love to hear how you’re enjoying today. Take care.

The post Black Friday—Worker Bee Style appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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It’s five o’clock somewhere — and you need a gift for your drinking buddy! Sure, you could take her out for a special holiday cocktail at your favorite local bar, but you know she won’t let you pay. Show her how much you care — and how much you love having her as your go-to happy hour pal — with one of these boozy gifts for her to use or enjoy at home.

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While you can make your own pumpkin purée, most of us turn to the canned variety at least a few times during this season. It seems that inevitably there’s always a little left over. Here are some ideas for using up that last half cup, or less, of pumpkin purée.

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The main meal for Thanksgiving is great, but the leftovers that follow are where the real magic occurs. There are sandwiches made with turkey and cranberry sauce, and soup made with turkey stock. The leftover pie — if there is any — can be turned into a milkshake if you’re feeling extra adventurous. But what about the mashed potatoes? Giada De Laurentiis might have just the thing.

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You’ve diligently worked your way through your Thanksgiving leftovers and now you’ve finally hit the end of the road — you just can’t take one more bite of stuffing. We hear you. Soon December holidays will be rolling around and there will be more festive food to be had.

So in the lull between lavish meals, we all need some lighter, brighter food in our lives. Here are 20 recipes that qualify.

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