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Southern states are home to dozens, even hundreds, of indigenous plants that have fed the people who call these rolling hills, expansive plains, and marshy bottoms home for centuries. Whether out of necessity or curiosity, many plants that might look otherwise mundane are deeply entrenched in the region’s food traditions. One such example is ramps. Ramps are native to the woodlands of North America, including the U.S. and Canada. They grow in shady spots beneath the towering pines, oaks, and maples and in mountainous nooks and crannies....

I grew up the oldest of four siblings, so, as you can imagine, the holiday season was quite a feat at our house. Between school parties, cookie swaps, choir concerts, and road trips to see loved ones, there was little to no spare time amid the hustle—but my parents always made a point to carve out space for memory making. Baking cookies (looking at you, peanut butter kisses), watching Elf in matching pajamas, decorating gingerbread houses, sipping hot chocolate whilst admiring Christmas lights—you name it, we probably did it....

You might have heard of the lipstick index, a strange indicator of economic turmoil. Historically, the lipstick index has risen during hard times, reflecting the fact that women often treated themselves to a little tube when there wasn’t room for much else in the budget. Not surprisingly with all the mask wearing, the lipstick index has completely been derailed during the past year. We’re not seeing the normal rise in lipstick purchases that we have witnessed during other periods of economic downturn but, I’m not quite convinced that statistic speaks to the Southern half of the country....

At the age of 11, Ethan Hill has done more to help his community than many will in a lifetime. The sixth grader is the founder of Ethan’s Heart, a Birmingham nonprofit that provides direct care to address the needs of the city’s homeless population. Through the program, Ethan and his supporters have provided hundreds of care packages for individuals experiencing homeless, but it all started when Ethan met Mr. Marcus at the age of 6....

When NASA’s newest Mars rover, Perseverance, launched on Thursday, the high-tech machine took a little piece of Virginia with it. Perseverance was named by Alexander Mather, a seventh grader at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Fairfax County. Mather, 13, penned the winning entry to NASA’s “Name the Rover” essay contest last year, beating out 28,000 entries from K-12 students across the U.S. “Alex’s entry captured the spirit of exploration,” Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate, said during a celebration at Lake Braddock Secondary School in March....

There are plenty of food trends that sound interesting and delicious. And then there are some food trends that sound unthinkable: poppyseed chicken made with yogurt; sweet tea made with stevia; coconut oil with cornbread; gluten-free fried chicken? So when it comes to Southern classics, I’d prefer to stick to what I know and love. If you’re on a health kick, okay – I understand swapping in some lower-fat ingredients to make that chicken casserole not-so-heavy....

While there are so many things that we love about Southern summers, the brutal heat is unfortunately not one of them. But we’ve got some good news to share. One simple purchase can make achieving cool, quality sleep on the hottest days of the year much easier. Enter the Homech Auto Oscillating Tower Fan with Remote (BUY IT: $79.99; amazon.com). Once you’ve experienced the cooling power and soothing sounds of sleeping with a tower fan, you’ll immediately be on your way to experiencing your best night of sleep ever....

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the nationwide recall of 37 million bottles of Pine-Sol products this morning due to the potential presence of bacteria that can cause serious infection. The eight recalled products may contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an environmental organism found widely in soil and water. The bacteria can enter the body if inhaled, through the eyes, or through a break in the skin. People with weakened immune systems who are exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment....

Nearly six months after it was shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic, a New Orleans institution will finally reopen its doors this week. Full-service at Commander’s Palace is set to resume Friday, September 11, beginning with dinner and weekend brunch, with plans to extend service hours in the future. “This starts with our people,” Ti Martin, who runs Commander’s Palace with her cousin Lally Brennan, told The Advocate. “There’s a faint hint of hope that fall is approaching, and things will get better....

Dolly Parton has said thanks but no thanks to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The legendary performer explained her decision to decline her nomination on social media Monday. “Dolly here! Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right,” Parton began. “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out....

“Jeff [Bezos] and I are so proud to share that we have a new Bezos Courage and Civility Award winner — a woman who gives with her heart and leads with love and compassion in every aspect of her work,” Sanchez, posted on Instagram alongside a video of their speech. “We can’t wait to see all the good that you’re going to do with this $100 million award, @DollyParton.” Naturally, Dolly immediately sent a thank you note via social media....

Erin Napier recently described designing her family’s new home in the Mississippi countryside as “the joy of her career,” and that feeling shows in every aspect of the revamped 1930s brick Tudor. This week, on the heels of the premiere of the new season of Home Town that documents the renovation of her and Ben’s dream home, Erin highlighted a “few favorites” on Instagram, including the Downton Abbey-inspired kitchen. “I was so inspired by Ms....

If you picked up a button-down shirt the last time you were at a department store like Neiman Marcus or Belk, you might have noticed a tiny fabric loop on the back of the shirt, below the collar, and where the shoulder blades should meet. Many high-quality button-downs have this little feature, but no one seems to know why. Luckily, Today did a little digging into the story behind the fashion quirk, and it turns out that those little loops are actually incredibly useful....

Brown sugar makes an appearance in many of our favorite recipes, from our reader-loved Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies to these oh-so caramelized Brown Sugar-Glazed Pineapples to our party-perfect Bacon-Wrapped Smokies. It adds a scrumptious level of sweetness that simply can’t be mimicked, which is why it should be a mainstay in the pantry all year long. However, anyone who isn’t going through bags of brown sugar every month—what a delicious life professional bakers must have!...

As a professional baker, I rely heavily on my mixer. Were it not for this handy appliance, I’d be spending upwards of 30 minutes kneading brioche dough by hand—a task that, while doable, requires great exertion. Not only does my mixer save me time in the kitchen, but it makes baking easier on my muscles. In a professional kitchen, you’ll find mixers of all different sizes, but in my home kitchen, the KitchenAid Stand Mixer has earned a prime spot on my countertop....

Last week’s story about an injured dog and a kind-hearted, umbrella-toting Tennessee trooper now has the happiest of endings. The dog, who was found clinging to life on the side of the highway earlier this month, has been adopted by Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Pumpy Tudors—the very same man who shaded her from the scorching temperatures until he gained her trust. The pup, now named Princess, will continue to receive medical treatment until she is ready to go home with Tudors, 11Alive reports....

Mmmm, smells like Pawhuska! With the new premium coffee line from Pioneer Woman, you can experience mornings at the Drummond Ranch at home. The coffees, inspired by Ree Drummond’s country style and family life on the ranch, are available in single-serve cups now. “Mornings come very early on our ranch,” Drummond said in a news release. “Coffee is one of my favorite things about rising and shining, and I love to sip it all day....

While it’s much easier to see how colder temperatures affect your skin from lizard-like patches to chapped lips and, well, frostbite, winter weather can also reek just as much havoc on your hair. With cold air whipping through your hair whether you’re hiking a state park inside a parking garage after work, your strands can quickly become dry and brittle. This, in turn, can make even what seem like trivial pieces of your routine like for instance, wrapping your hair in a heavy towel after a shower, extra damaging....

When you’re itching to get out of the house and explore, national parks are the perfect escape. There’s nothing better than spending unencumbered time in the great outdoors, and lucky for us, some of the country’s most beautiful natural features are located right in our own backyards. While you’ve likely made a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which happens to be the country’s most visited park, there are several other wonderful destinations to add to your national park bucket list....

Few things dampen a sunshiney morning like seeing your under-eye circles in full force under recessed bathroom lighting. Same thing goes for the pulsing, raging blemish that makes its monthly appearance on your chin or forehead. It’ll really humble a gal. That’s why if quarantined to a deserted island with only two makeup products left to our disposal, one is going to be concealer. No question. It’s the multi-use wonder kid that can conceal blemishes and hyperpigmentation, while simultaneously color-correcting dark circles (sleep depravity-induced, genetically given, or otherwise) in order to make us appear more human than zombie....