I simply couldn't cook without my…cast-iron frying pan?  Ginsu knives?  Immersion blender?  Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker?  Everybody who prepares food has things they consider essential to their culinary practices.  But how important are these things?  How many are truly essential, or at least very important, to the preparation — and the ultimate consumption — of food?

To settle the question, The Daily Meal, Headed by Colman Andrews, co-founder of Saveur, has released a list of the 50 Most Important Inventions in Food and Drink. Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker doesn’t make the cut, but number 40: Tupperware, which has been an enduring fixture in everyone’s fridge since 1946 sure does. Other inclusions are:

#1 Salt

Let the fight begin, what is more important to food preparation, salt or the #2 listing, fire? A pinch of salt goes in everything, but does that make it more important than killing bacteria (and Crème Brulee).

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PBS KIDS recently announced a new partnership with Whole Foods Market, the world's leading natural and organic grocer, that will provide fun, easy-to-use tools and educational resources to help families make educated decisions about organic foods and encourage healthy lifestyles.

The "Fantastic Organic" campaign will utilize online resources from PBS Parents, PBS KIDS and Whole Foods Market to help families learn to cook, shop and explore organic foods together. Select Whole Foods Market stores will host in-store events for kids and families to share facts, tips, and advice about buying organic products.

"We are committed to helping kids learn and grow, and this includes providing resources to children and families that help build and maintain healthy lifestyles," said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. "In partnership with Whole Foods Market, PBS KIDS is providing communities with a variety of educational and fun activities, games, and apps that will help families gain a deeper understanding of organics and healthy eating to nourish young minds and bodies."

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Are you a teacher looking for free, quality resources to help instruct students on managing their personal finances? The nonprofit Alliance for Investor Education (AIE), a consortium of America’s top regulatory, self-regulatory and industry organizations focused on investor education, is now making available in one place a variety of resources online at http://www.investoreducation.org.

AIE is outlining 10 of the best Web-based resources for teachers looking to give their students a strong base of knowledge in investing and personal finance so they will know how to properly manage their finances as they grow into adulthood.  The Alliance's new "Investing and Finance for Kids" is available at http://www.investoreducation.org/kidsinvest.  AIE is the organization of the United States’ leading financial-related foundations, nonprofit organizations, associations and governmental agencies.

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More than one-third of consumers have already finished most of their holiday shopping, a figure released by the American Research Group on Monday that's particularly irritating to procrastinators. Just because you waited until the last minute, however, doesn't mean you have to pay top price for the dregs of merchandise.

In an effort to reduce their inventories further, some stores are dropping prices as Christmas approaches, so it sometimes pays to wait. Still, it's a lot more stressful and shoppers are more likely to grab the first thing they see, regardless of price. Avoid overshooting your budget by following these six tips for last-minute holiday shopping.

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Learn everything you need to know about dealing with that unwelcome pimple. From popping (yes, you can!) to concealing, let us be your guide the next time a blemish rears its ugly head.

No matter how often or infrequently you break out, you know what a blemish looks like, so we aren’t going to show you one (it just isn’t pretty). When pimples happen, the white, red, swollen appearance is maddening, and psychological research shows that it can be an emotionally devastating experience. Using great skin-care is vital to reducing or even preventing breakouts, but what do you do with that pimple you see in the mirror right now?

What you choose to do with a pimple is important, because it can determine how long you have to live with its memory. Here is your straightforward, honest three-step guide, with everything you need to know for ultimate damage control the next time a blemish rears its ugly head.

What you choose to do with a pimple is important, because it can determine how long you have to live with its memory. Here is your straightforward, honest three-step guide, with everything you need to know for ultimate damage control the next time a blemish rears its ugly head.

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While they're the place we go for healing, all hospitals have the potential to be a hotbed  for contagious infections.

But there are precautionary measures patients can take, both to reduce the need for a hospital stay and to condition the body to ward off infection and minimize pain when surgery is necessary, says Letha Hadady, a nationally-recognized herbal expert and author of Naturally Pain Free, just published by Sourcebooks (www.AsianHealthSecrets.com). Letha has been documenting in real time her recent hip replacement, preparation and recovery, in a video blog on her global website.

"We are fast approaching a time when antibiotics will be outdated because infectious bacteria – Superbugs – have become resistant," she says. "We have to protect ourselves with the gifts of nature that germs cannot adapt to – foods, minerals, herbal remedies and other natural products that build our defenses."

There are 600,000 knee-replacement and 300,000 hip-replacement surgeries performed each year in the United States, a number that has doubled in the past 10 years and continues to grow, Hadady says. As a health expert cited by NBC News, AP Radio, Newsday, the Daily News, the San Francisco Chronicle and Barbara Walters, she says she is concerned about the risks, pain and fear as many people face both major and minor surgeries.

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