Recently in How to Category

... what? I'm always amazed by how many people I meet (some of them campers themselves) who have never heard of mountain pies.

Me, I grew up with the hot pies cooked between two slices of bread inside a hot iron mold nestled in campfire coals.

We typically made them in the evening, after dinner, so we used peach, apple (add cinnamon to make it extra yummy), cherry and blueberry pie fillings inside for a warm dessert.

But you can also fill them with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and toppings for a fresh, hot, homemade pizza pocket. Or ham and cheese. Or whatever combination you think sounds yummy.

Two years ago, while camping with college friends, I learned that S'more mountain pies are not among those I prefer to make. Not only are they way too much for me (if i want a s'more, I want the real thing, not a s'more sandwiched in cooked bread), but they're also awfully messy. I think I might still have burned marshmallow stuck to the sides of my molds!

Here are my suggestions for a magnificent mountain pie experience:

When you're about to go insane in the car with your kids, there isn't much you can do.

Savvy moms can plan ahead to ward off some of the chaos and unhappiness by visiting
www.momsminivan.com. There, you'll find a variety of games and activities to keep kids occupied in the car, using basic materials such as string, paper and aluminum foil.

I especially like the part about how to make a cootie catcher!

If you use any of these, shoot me an e-mail and let us know how the ideas worked out!

With some airlines charging fees to check any bags -- and charging even heftier fees for overweight bags, it pays to do all you can to avoid shelling out more cash than you need to if you can't cut it with just a carry-on.

Here are some tips I ran across in a story by Carol Pucci of The Seattle Times that I thought would be helpful to share:

Check out this story I wrote for the newest issue of YDR's Smart magazine.

It's all about how to pack for -- and survive (yes, maybe even enjoy) a long road trip. It includes a checklist of items to bring, things to do beforehand, and tips for making the journey go smoothly.

Check it out before you hit the road.

When you get back, e-mail me a photo and we'll post it here, in the "Wish you were here" gallery, as well as on the travel page of the Sunday Lifestyle section of the paper.

So you snap pictures like crazy on your vacation, but then you get home and have to figure out what to do with them all.

Here are some suggestions from the experts on how to deal with all the digital clutter and get the most enjoyment out of your photos.

I wrote this story a year ago after a friend said she had never traveled outside the country and wouldn't know where to begin when planning such a trip.

It's a great primer. My hope is that lack of knowledge or fear of the unknown never keeps you from exploring our wonderful world!

Staying with a friend or relative sure can save you money when you travel, but you've gotta be considerate.

Hosting out-of-town friends and family can also present any number of challenges.

In this story, I talked to experts about how to best handle this delicate situation, just in time for the holidays.

I love to go camping, but I didn't know how to build a campfire, which made me feel kind of stupid. (I always had male friends or relatives around who took charge of that).

So, in the summer of 2004, I wrote the following story. Check it out, then get ready to toast your toes or some s'mores!