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When considering essential skills in baking, creating a perfect pie crust is often near the top of many people’s lists. Unfortunately, it is common for some people to find creating a homemade crust daunting or intimidating, especially when the baking is for the holidays or special events. Even though making a perfect pie crust can take some practice, being armed with the knowledge of some common pie crust mistakes and how to avoid them will help you feel confident in your pie-making skills....

In the meal-planning rush of everyday, we sometimes overlook the freezer. It can be, however, a wonderful resource when entertaining, shopping in bulk, or whipping up that last-minute, end-of-the day meal. When we do pay attention to it, we mostly stock up on meats and veggies, as well as carbs that freeze well (we’re talking about you, pizza dough!). But what about fruit? Frozen fruit can be an amazing source of flavor and freshness, ready to be used in smoothies, baking projects, and desserts....

Chip and Joanna Gaines fans, we now have yet another photo from the newly minted Gaines party of 7 crewto analyze to our heart’s delight. Yesterday, Chip took to instagram to share a photo and hilarious caption with his fans: “If you’ve read my book #capitalGaines you know I’m NO child safety specialist, but even I know this can’t be a good place for a car seat,” the HGTV star wrote, beside a photo of baby Crew’s car seat perched on the couple’s oven and what appears to be cornbread....

When we say Shelly Botcher loves Christmas, we mean she realllllyyy loves Christmas. Especially the trees. Botcher’s home in Grandview, Missouri, currently boasts a staggering 400 Christmas trees—that’s including statues. “The great room has like 72 in it, and I ran out of trees because I have a lot more places to put trees,” she told WDAF-TV. The local station toured recently toured Botcher’s home, which boasts trees of every size, shape, and color....

We can’t predict the future. But for this upcoming holiday season there’s one thing we’re quite sure of: There will be pie. Lots and lots of pies. It may only be October but we’ve already adopted the mantra “when in doubt, just add pie,” and we don’t see us shying away from that adage anytime soon. One humorous Southerner even chimed in with a sweet story straight from her kitchen to our heartstrings: “Ok…....

Azaleas are a signature of Southern gardens—we even featured them in the first issue of Southern Living (in February 1966!). We love azaleas not only for their vibrant blooms but also for their low maintenance. Few plantings are as hands-off as azaleas, and for a busy gardener, “hands off” is a magic phrase. While azaleas can practically take care of themselves—they’re very independent once established—there are a few things you can do to ensure they thrive every year....

Vanilla Beane, Washington D.C.’s famous “hat lady,” has died at the age of 103. The Washington Post reports that she died at a local hospital Sunday due to complications after an aortic tear. Beane was a D.C. legend known for her millinery creations. Her store, Bené Millinery & Bridal Supplies, has been a staple of the Manor Park neighborhood since it opened in 1979. She worked there six days a week well into her 100s....

There could be any number of reasons why you’d want to substitute olive oil for butter in your recipes. Maybe your doctor told you it was time to take better care of your heart. Perhaps you’re trying to get back into your favorite jeans. Or maybe you’ve taken a big, bold step and have decided to embrace a vegan lifestyle. No matter your reason, it’s definitely possible to use olive oil instead of butter in many recipes....

There’s andouille, chorizo, and hog maw sausage. And then there’s boudin, a Southern delicacy in a league all its own. Traditionally, boudin (pronounced BOO-DAN, not BOO-DEN) is made with ground pork, rice, onion, green peppers, and Cajun spices and seasonings, left to the boudin creator’s own devices. The flavor-intense ingredients are then stuffed into casings or rolled into deliberately round balls to be deep fried, grilled, or slow-smoked to perfection. Regardless of the technique and what’s packed inside, every juicy and tender bite promises a satisfying—albeit fleeting—sensation of grease dripping down the chin....

When Nina Long and design partner Don Easterling were tasked with sprucing up a primary bathroom in anAtlanta-based home, they were determined to swath the walls in a traditional-yet-fresh repeat. Fortunately, they didn’t have to look too far as Schumacher’s Hydrangea Drape ticked off all of the boxes. “We knew it would be bold to do an entire primary bathroom with it, but it was classic enough to last and be interesting without trendy,” explains Long, who works at a local firm called Matthews Furniture + Design....

Keeping a manicure in tip-top shape throughout the trials of everyday life is harder than it looks. And as tempting as it sounds to instantly nix our manicure at the first signs of chipping, we’re faced with two options. First option: Drop what we’re doing and make a beeline for the closest nail salon. Second option: Grab the nail polish remover and cotton balls. (We’re busy, so door number two often wins out....

It’s not hyperbole to say that we love our cast-iron skillets. The relationship between a Southern cook and their cast iron is one that’s forged over many years, recipes, challenges, and triumphs in the kitchen. Keeping it seasoned, tending it carefully, and using it regularly ensures it’s always ready to crisp up vegetables, bake a chicken pot pie, and even make mac and cheese. Seasoned home cooks know that cast iron isn’t just for dinner, though....

Fun games are a great way to get everyone mingling if you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party. They’re also a fun way to spend time while waiting for the countdown to midnight. Funny stories and questions, heated races, and hunting for elusive holiday items will keep guests on their toes. Here are ten New Year’s Eve games that require very few props and little preparation, plus they will inspire hilarious memories for the year to come....

Store-bought meals and ingredients make life much easier, but some things are undeniably better homemade (Mama knows this too well). If you’ve never tried homemade croutons, get ready—they’ll quickly be moved to your list of things you should always make at home. It might seem like a hassle to bake croutons when there are plenty of varieties on the shelf at the grocery store, but it’s shockingly easy to make your own....

Cooking a restaurant-worthy steak on the stovetop does not need to be a daunting task. Avoid these mistakes, and you can pan-sear a gloriously juicy steak dinner in the middle of the week. You Don’t Choose the Right Cut for the Job When it comes to steaks, a T-bone may be the universal favorite cut of beef, and these are ideal when grilling outside. The best steaks for pan-searing on the stovetop, however, are boneless steaks that are between one and 1 1/2 inches thick....

If anything, we believe in starting the New Year off on a high note, and if it takes adhering to age-old traditions to do that, ladle us a bowl of collards and call us superstitious. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are full of opportunities to bring on good luck, ward off ill will, and kick off the year with blessings and fortune to come. You just have to know what to do—and not to do....

We can all recognize a beautiful bathroom, but it can be difficult to tell what actually makes the space appealing. Some folks choose to incorporate bold, bright colors into their bathrooms, with a textured mat or patterned shower curtains. With other bathrooms, neutral tones and pops of fresh greenery read as modern and elegant. Your bathroom organization method should reflect how you want to feel when you’re in it. If you’re hoping to refresh your space, consider what you don’t find or see in organized, appealing bathrooms....

It was in 1923, upon returning to home Knoxville, Tennessee, from Yellowstone National Park, when the great Anne Davis famously asked her husband Willis P. Davis, “Why could not our Great Smokies be made a national park—and those magnificent monarchs of the forest preserved for posterity?” It was a good question, but her husband, the president of Knoxville Iron Company, didn’t have an answer. Inspired to preserve the area, the Davises took matters into their own hands, cofounding the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association that same year....

Here’s a great solution for a blank wall: espalier, the art of growing a plant along a flat surface. It may look costly and complicated, but it isn’t. This project is something you can do in a weekend. Perhaps you haven’t tried growing vines because they seem unpredictable. This method helps you control that. Choose the right one, and you’ll get a lot of coverage for the money. Decide on a Style...

It’s sniffling, sneezing, aching, sore throat season for us humans, but do dog owners need to worry that their pooch can catch a cold, too? The answer may surprise you. Dogs can catch doggy colds, but they’re not the same type of cold virus we humans get. Don’t worry: People and dogs can’t pass cold germs back and forth. Whew! That’s great to know, but what kind of cold can your dog come down with, and what should you do about it, if anything?...