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Truth be told, when you pry the lid off a tin of homemade chocolate chip cookies, you really aren’t too concerned with how those sweet treats are arranged. The idea behind a cookie tin is, after all, to simply package and transfer delicious cookies to the lucky recipient. But Southern bakers all agree that when baking, presentation is often just as important as the quality of the baked item (hence the number of epic come-aparts we have when our pound cakes fall apart even though they still taste delicious)....

Growing up in North Georgia, I was conditioned from an early age to view apple season like I view Christmas, as something sacred. Nothing’s changed. When a bounty of apples presented itself, we would go to work peeling, dicing, boiling, mashing, mixing, simmering, and canning our favorite spread. Back then apple butter was for biscuits on Saturday mornings or a quick piece of toast during the week, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that this stuff belongs on more than just bread....

Parchment paper can make baking dozens of sugar cookies a breeze—if you can get the paper to lie flat on the cookie sheet, that is. Most bakers have been there: You’re trying to make a strawberry-lemonade or praline cake, whip up a parchment-packet dinner, prep a parmesan-buttermilk pie crust, or bake Christmas cookies, but the parchment paper simply won’t cooperate. Every time you tear off a sheet to line a tray or cake pan, or wrap up pieces of snapper and spring vegetables, the pesky paper immediately curls up....

Janice Nguyen Hudgins grew up making egg rolls with her mother, Thu-Ha Nguyen, but you won’t find those on the menu at Little Miss Ha, her Vietnamese eatery in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. “We do imperial rolls at the restaurant,” Hudgins says. “We use rice paper, the way they do it in Vietnam.” For as long as Hudgins can remember, her mom, who emigrated from Vietnam to Charleston in 1979, has made egg rolls using wheat-flour wrappers....

If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s TikTok regularly bestowing a fascinating new food trend upon the world. In recent years, the social app has been virally overtaken by melting potatoes, feta pasta (we leveled it up with pimento cheese), and “perfect” quesadillas (our version was fried, of course), but a craze involving a certain summer fruit might just take the cake. The trend on offer: Yellow mustard drizzled on fresh watermelon....

Stockings are being strung, halls are being decked, and Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas is in full swing. The television network that leads the way in all things merry and bright promised us 40 all new original films this season and they have delivered. One such offering is a mashup of two fan-favorite genres: the holiday movie and a mystery. Tennessee native Rachel Boston stars alongside fellow Hallmark veteran Victor Webster in the comedy-Christmas-mystery mashup, A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe....

Chili season in the South is the time during the fall when fall weather arrives and football season starts, causing sudden cravings for big pots of chili. Like pumpkin spice latte season, but spicier. Which Ground Beef Is Best for Chili? If your favorite chili recipe calls for ground beef, choose the best kind, and don’t just reach for whatever is closest in the meat aisle. Here, we explain how to pick the best ground beef for your chili, no matter the style....

VitaceaeDeciduous vinesZones vary by selectionFull sunModerate water Muscadines are grapes, which are valued for fruit, wine, shade, and fall color; they’re among the few ornamental vines with bold, textured foliage; colorful edible fruit; and a dominant trunk and branch pattern for winter interest. A single grapevine can produce enough new growth every year to arch over a walk, roof an arbor, form a leafy wall, or provide an umbrella of shade over deck or terrace....

These aren’t your mama’s ice cream flavors. Hold onto your spoons (and your pearls) for the latest creations from Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. The artisan creamery just announced the launch of seven flavors to be sold exclusively at Walmart locations nationwide. Shoppers in all 50 states can now easily experience new and fan-favorite flavors—including Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Pizza, Hot Honey, and Royal Wedding Cake—from the cult-favorite brand by the pint....

If you lovedDownton Abbey, you’re likely already looking forward to the historical drama Belgravia debuting this April, based on the eponymous novel by Julian Fellowes. In addition to this, Fellowes’ fans can also look forward to The Gilded Age, a series that centers around New York City in the 1880s, which is scheduled to start filming in the coming weeks Even sooner than both of these hotly anticipated shows can we anticipate the release of The English Game, written and produced by Fellowes and landing on Netflix this spring....

Many of us consider the reliable sweet potato to be a highlight of the fall and winter fresh produce season. They are versatile, affordable, and keep well for weeks. We’re familiar with the tried-and-true varieties with orange flesh, but those aren’t the only sweet potatoes we can find in our grocery stores and farmers’ markets these days. If you’ve not checked out the sweet potatoes with striking deep purple, creamy yellow, or white flesh, you’re in for an array of taste treats....

Whether you’re a serial Spode collector or a Wedgwood faithful, it’s no secret that Southerners love their china. We’re as loyal to our patterns as we are to our football teams and our families’ cornbread recipes (the sugar vs. no sugar debate is very real). For some of us, it’s because a certain pattern reminds us of Sunday dinners at our grandmothers’ houses. For others, it’s because we believe that our patterns reveal a lot about our personalities....

It’s no secret that HomeGoods holds a special place in our hearts. From an ever-changing selection of pillows and decor to amazing deals on high-end cookware, the home store is a dream for first-time homeowners and seasoned decorators alike. But the one section at HomeGoods you might be overlooking actually has some of the best deals on delicious products you didn’t know you were missing. We’re talking about the grocery section, of course....

Before planning your next beach vacation, consider jumping off the beaten path and letting the wind blow you to Gulf State Park. Tucked right on the coast of Alabama just miles from uber-popular (and pricier) beach towns Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, this Southern natural wonder boasts over 6,000 acres of land that includes a tranquil, barely touched beach away from the crazy crowds down the road and enough outdoor pastimes beyond sunbathing and boogie-boarding to keep everyone entertained....

A grassroots social media movement to honor Betty White on what would have been her 100th birthday raised a staggering amount of money for animal shelters and rescues. White, whose decades-long entertainment career spanned television and movies, died on December 31 at the age of 99, just weeks before she was set to celebrate her centennial on January 17. Fans of the Golden Girls star came up with the #BettyWhiteChallenge—which encouraged people to donate to a local animal rescue group in White’s name—as a meaningful way to mark the animal lover’s birthday....

You’ve got the food, the location, and some good company. All that stands between you and a lovely outdoor meal is a well-packed picnic basket. Whether you have a proper wicker hamper or a canvas tote bag, fill it with these picnic essentials. Prepare for any situation by adding these ten things to your picnic basket. 1. Frozen Bottles of Water The main rule for outdoor eating is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold....

We’re not going to sugarcoat it for you: creating a well-appointed space is the gift that keeps on giving, but it’s not exactly an easy process. As if choosing the right paint shade, furniture layout, and home decor isn’t challenging enough, you have to figure out how to do it all without breaking the bank. If you want to create a home that’s charming and cost-effective, you might want to invest on the timeless essentials and buy trendier accessories for less....

No other American sandwich this side of the hamburger is as ubiquitous as the New Orleans po’boy. And while the city staple has seen an ongoing evolution (a Shanghai Shrimp po’boy recently won the festival’s “Best of Fest” award), almost all variations can be traced back to the 1929 original, named by Bennie and Clovis Martin, owners of the since-closed Martin Brothers’ Coffee Stand & Restaurant. The duo expressed their solidarity for striking streetcar workers by serving them free sandwiches, and their name for the workers—“poor boys”—became the name of the sandwich itself....

Sure, in years past, we’ve begun to spin Christmas tunes and hang our decorations in October, but during the tumult this year, August seems like a good a time as any to tap into our Christmas spirit. That’s why we were excited to hear about the new breakfast and brunch restaurant, the Christmas Morning Café on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. Rudolph’s Fresh Berry Crepes? “Jingle All the” Waffle Sticks? “The Grinches” Avocado Toast?...

Earlier this summer it came to our attention that there were several Dolly Parton sightings at antique and vintage shops in the Nashville area. As WKRN reported, Parton was spotted at several spots including Three French Hens in Nolensville. Owner Stacey Harris-Fish told the local news outlet, “I’m a Nashville native and I’ve had the opportunity to meet several of our entertainers over the years, including Dolly coming to our store several years ago....