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Rhubarb is starting to make its way into the market right now -- while it's an obvious choice for dessert, whether in a pie, crumble, or crisp (and on its own or with strawberries), it's also fantastic with richer savory meats like pork chops, game or grilled sausages.

Q: What is the easiest way to shred chicken for either soup or tacos? I can never seem to get it right. -- Kendra J., Eastpointe, Mich.

When a baby is on the way, there's only one thing a mom-to-be needs more than cute baby gear: the certain knowledge that her friends are there for her. A good baby shower surrounds a woman with love and good will -- feelings that can help her keep smiling through the sleep-deprived days on the horizon.

Divide and conquer your budget problems. That's the gardener's secret to a cheap or free landscape without purchasing a single new plant. The key is perennials, which are herbaceous plants that do not produce any woody stems or twigs. They sprout anew from the roots in spring and then die back to the ground again at the end of fall.

A continuing compendium of tips and tricks from Home & Garden Television:

New to gardening? Master gardener Paul James offers several tips to help newcomers to the world of gardening become successful gardeners:

Q: Ed, my husband and I love your column and you are the only one left we can turn to. We have had a serious rotten-egg smell in our kitchen on and off for the last five years and our home is fairly new. We know the problem is not in our fixtures since we have recently installed a beautiful sink and faucet. We do not have a garbage disposal and we are careful about what we wash down the drain.

Water-Heater Improvements. Simple changes to your existing unit can cut your energy bills and carbon emissions by 25 percent or more. Wrap the device in a water-heater-insulating blanket and insulate the first 3 to 6 feet of hot- and cold-water pipes. These changes should take less than an hour to complete and cost less than $50.

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Chances are that as you read this article, the omnipresent sound of a lawnmower or blower is within earshot. It's that time of year when many of us are outside, mowing, edging, cutting and blowing.

Carl and Tony have lived in their charming semi-detached house for 14 years. They are the social butterflies of their neighborhood and are always hosting get-togethers, poker games, barbecues and even Easter-egg hunts.

It's ramp season!

Ramps look like scallions and manage to out-garlic garlic in the smell department. They're a wild cousin of the onion, and appear in markets each spring. They make a wicked vinaigrette, they're great sauteed in bacon fat and they make a funky, intense condiment when pickled.