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Look, it doesn’t get much better than Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. And it really doesn’t get much better than Willie and Dolly singing a Christmas tune together. Such is the gift the longtime friends have given us on Parton’s new holiday album, A Holly Dolly Christmas. This fall, Parton shared a bit more on the duo’s collaboration of the song, “Pretty Paper,” penned by Nelson in 1963 (“Pretty Paper” is also the title of his holiday album he released in 1979) in a video for her Front Porch interview series....

The great state of Mississippi has given the world many things for which we are extremely thankful —Elvis Presley, William Faulkner, Mississippi Mud Pie, and Barq’s Root Beer, to name just a few. If the legion of social media fans is any indication, then it is time we added another item to that list: Mississippi Roast, which has been pinned over 1 million times on Pinterest. How Mississippi Roast Became An Internet Sensation Many popular recipes, such as the aforementioned Mississippi Mud Pie, have a (pardon the pun) muddy past....

Layer cakes How to fix a crack: If the top of the cake is cracked, use a serrated bread knife to carefully slice it off. Then frost and stack the layers as usual. This also works if the top of the cake is domed. If your cake layers are completely falling apart but still taste good, crumble them into pieces and make a trifle by layering the cake pieces in a deep bowl with whipped cream and fresh fruit....

When I was growing up, even more exciting than Christmas morning and day was Christmas Eve. I loved the anticipation; I loved the rituals, and it is something I have tried to continue. The gestures and traditions were simple, yet they brought comfort and excitement. My dad wore a silly bow tie with holly and jingle bells in the earliest years, and then later, when I was in high school and going through a crafty phase, I crocheted neckties for all the men in the family....

What’s cute, and green, and belongs sitting on your windowsill? Darling bunny succulents, of course. Also known as bunny ear succulents, the succulent looks like little green bunny heads as they begin to grow and make a welcome addition to any plant enthusiast’s home. To get your own little rabbit-inspired succulent up and growing, you can buy 100 seeds on Etsy for just $2.93. If you really love the bunny theme, you may want to scoop up these adorable bunny ear cacti in a ceramic pot for $25 on Etsy, as well....

We all need a little—scratch that—a lot of Christmas this year. Thankfully, Netflix is standing at the ready with plenty of fabulous holiday-themed shows and movies for our viewing pleasure on deck for the upcoming season, like Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square and Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn starring in Christmas Chronicles 2. Now, we’ve just learned we can look forward to a serious dose of Santa-infused joy on the reality series front with Holiday Home Makeover with Mr....

Even expert bakers screw up now and then in the kitchen, and often you can trace those disastrous baking results, including sunken cakes and flat, chewy cookies, back to the incorrect use of butter. If baking is truly a science, butter is the essential transformative element that adds richness and a heavenly depth of flavor to your pastries and desserts. But, because of its unique properties, if you use the wrong kind of butter or mix it with the wrong ingredients, your baking experiment can end in total failure....

LaGrange is a progressive small town that offers all the amenities of a big city. Located only an hour south of Atlanta, LaGrange is home to a number of musical entertainment venues, upcoming craft breweries, one of the largest collections of Middle Eastern artifacts, and world-renowned gardens. The population of about 30,000 works closely with the city government and the Callaway Foundation to constantly revitalize open spaces, add trails and parks, provide affordable housing, and support small businesses....

Get to Know Alton Brown Chef, author, actor, cinematographer, musician, storyteller – it’s fair to say Alton Brown changed food television forever. The Georgia native transformed a sleepy genre with his unique brand of funny, smart, and highly entertaining cooking shows, His scientific approach to cooking, as well as knack for showmanship, have made him one of the most successful food celebrities of all time, and he’s not slowing down. Alton just finished the second leg of his Beyond The Eats tour, and recently released Good Eats 4: The Final Years — a door stopper of a book and what he says will be the last of his award-winning series....

Congratulations are in order for a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan and the staff at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans! On Christmas Eve, 12-year-old Menari, who was pregnant with an extremely rare set of twins, gave birth to a healthy male infant. Sadly, the second infant was “badly positioned” and died in utero. “This is a bittersweet time for our team, but, given the very serious complications with the second infant, we are extremely happy that Menari and the surviving infant are together and doing well,” Audubon’s Senior Veterinarian Bob MacLean said in a news release....

It’s a good week for the Southern Smoke Foundation. Yesterday evening, ABC aired the latest episode of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, in a special season featuring frontline heroes along with celebrities playing for charities. Vying for the prize last night? Celebrity chef David Chang, founder of Momofuku and host of Netflix’s Ugly Delicious, aiming to win big for the Houston-based nonprofit. “I’m so honored that Dave chose Southern Smoke as his charity,” said the organization’s co-founder and Houston chef, Chris Shepherd, in a press release prior to the episode’s airing....

Over the past 10 years, boat captain Michael Nastasio has made a lot of amazing aquatic discoveries. Hunting for black gold, also known as prehistoric shark or megalodon teeth, is a longtime passion for Nastasio. He loves the thrill of the hunt so much, he even made a career out of sharing his hobby through his company Black Gold Fossil Charters. The self-described “treasure hunter at heart” was on a routine charter off the coast of Venice, Florida, on October 15 when he stumbled upon a find he never thought possible: a whole 6-inch shark tooth....

If there’s one thing Dolly Parton should be remembered for other than her big hair, big personality, and big voice, it’s her big heart. Over the years, the selfless philanthropist has donated millions to various causes, including natural disaster relief and the creation of a COVID-19 vaccine. Despite her many philanthropic pursuits, education has always been at the top of Parton’s list. In 1995, she founded the Imagination Library, a program that provides free books to children ages 0-5, regardless of family income....

If you think apple crisp requires at least 30 minutes prep-time, not to mention an additional 45 minutes for baking, Sautéed Apple Crisp is here to prove you wrong. Our easy apple crisp is ready in just 10 minutes and won’t require use of the oven at all, which means this quick dessert will make even the busiest Monday night the perfect time to indulge in an after-dinner sweet. The secret to our fastest-ever crisp is cooking it on the stovetop....

Muffin tins were created for two things, right? We grease and flour our trusted tins in order to bake savory dinner rolls and muffins and incredibly sweet and indulgent cupcakes. However, just as we have discovered with mason jars, a muffin tin can do so much more than its intended purpose. Here are a few creative uses for muffin tins that can help you save time, prepare meals, and even organize your craft room and office....

I love flowering quince for many reasons but admit the flowers are the real hook for me. It’s always a thrill to spy that first splash of color–a signal that winter is nearing its end. Right when I need it most, this plant brightens the garden and gets me excited about the season ahead. As easy to grow as it is pretty, flowering quince (Chaenomeles sp.) can be found in garden centers now as it comes into bloom....

The snap of a juicy carrot fresh from your own backyard is worth the bit of extra effort required to grow these vegetables successfully. “Carrots are one of the more finicky crops to get established,” says Wesley Palmer, Southeastern territory sales representative for Johnny’s Selected Seeds. “They take from one to three weeks to pop up, they don’t germinate as easily as other crops such as radishes or beans, and they have a long growing season....

Even with the best intentions, a Thanksgiving conversation with a loved one can quickly go downhill. We’re not even talking about when that cousin inevitably brings up politics over turkey dinner. We’re talking about those well-meaning questions that just don’t sit right. For many, this Thanksgiving will be a big year for catching up with family and friends. The last two Thanksgivings likely looked a little different, often missing some loved ones from the once-crowded feasts or even having taken place over Zoom....

During the holidays, giving gifts to friends and family is more about the thought than anything else. The act is about showing that you are thinking of others, which is the most important reason. Sure, everyone has that one relative who is endearingly known for gifting random oddities and dreadfully patterned scarves, or the gift swap party that sends you home with a niche item that might collect dust in the cabinet....

The perfect beach town filled with century-old lighthouses and charming cottages, has one small flaw—mini-tsunamis. The idyllic North Beach of Tybee Island, Georgia normally has placid waters perfect for splashing with the kids and beautiful beaches meant for building sandcastles or hunting for seashells. Then, every so often a massive wave comes through, crashing on the beach that can be very perilous. The culprit, it turns out, isn’t Mother Nature, but boats....