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Well, it’s happening. Chick-fil-A is rolling out its “modified menu” in more cities. Last week, a few months after testing began on a menu that’s “a little bit simpler and a whole lot spicier” at some Charlotte-area and Arizona restaurants, the chicken chain announced that restaurants in Tampa, Chicago, and Central Texas will soon be following suit. Beginning April 26, diners in these locations will see the Spicy Chick-n-Strips entrée and the Spicy Chick-n-Strips Biscuit added to menus....

Who among us hasn’t left butter out on the counter for toast, bought it in bulk on sale, shoved it to the back of the fridge, and have then found ourselves wondering more than once, “Does butter go bad?” Yes, it does. With proper storage, however, butter can last quite awhile. Butter is mostly fat (at least 80%), which might be bad for our waistline, but is great for shelf life....

Hard-boiled eggs form the backbone of some of our favorite Southern dishes. From deviled eggs to egg salad, we always keep a batch of hard-boiled eggs on hand for last-minute appetizers—or simply for snacking. Full of protein and low in calories, hard-boiled eggs are a wholesome, nutritious snack. As much as we love hard boiled eggs, we’ll be the first to admit that they can be finicky—if not downright frustrating—to make....

Downtown Boone, North Carolina, is known for its buzz. On any given evening, find patrons huddled underneath the Appalachian Theatre’s glowing marque awaiting showtime; Appalachian State University students scampering to a nearby brewery; and tourists window shopping and taking in Blue Ridge’s fall color. “Word is getting out that Boone is a destination,” says Denise Lovin, co-owner of downtown’s Horton Hotel. Since being voted as one of the South’s best mountain towns in the 2020 edition of our annual South’s Best poll, Boone has only continued to pick up steam....

Bordered by multicolored bluffs and tucked deep in the deciduous forests of Northwest Arkansas, a ribbon of rapids and pools reflects the Americana charm and natural splendor you can find only in the Ozark Mountains. On either side of the cool, free-flowing river, hollows flanking the water concea louttakes from another time—from prehistoric sites dating back thousands of years to untamed wilderness and waterfalls left wholly untouched. On the Buffalo National River, the park’s waters stretch as wide from west to east as they reach back into history, preserving a landscape riddled with culture yet unharmed by the passage of time....

Thanksgiving can be stressful if you’re in charge of the cooking. Juggling multiple dishes at once and having more than the normal number of mouths to feed can be intimidating whether or not it’s your first go around. The last thing you need when you’ve already got both ovens running and three pots on the stove is a mishap, so planning ahead is always a game changer. It’s safe to say that among all the dishes on the holiday table, it’s essential to have a winning gravy....

I have a grade-A carnivore on my hands. He’s what many refer to as a meat-and-potatoes guy. Through the years, I’ve gotten him to try some risky-to-him foods like oysters, a range of green vegetables, and cornbread (I know, that one got me too), but he always comes back to burgers, steaks, and the occasional pork chop. Needless to say, swapping his beloved ground beef meatloaf for a turkey version was a dinnertime gamble—and one I did not take lightly....

Knitting hats is a labor of love. Now imagine knitting some 11,000 hats. Such is the case for 90-year-old Jeanie Shaffer, who has knit more than 11,000 hats for newborns delivered at UPMC Western Maryland in Cumberland, Maryland, over the last 15+ years. The knitting whiz volunteers hours of her time almost every night to make the hats, which are placed on newborns heads to keep them warm seconds after their birth (newborn babies have a tough time regulating their body temperature, hence the hats being key)....

There’s nothing better than harvesting fresh vegetables from your own garden. And there’s nothing more infuriating than never getting to harvest any vegetables because some low-down, mean, contemptible, savage, un-Christian, good-for-nothing bug or critter beat you to it! With that thought in mind, here’s an urgent dispatch from Dolly. “Do you know of any method to control/eradicate squash bugs? These things are uncontrollable.” Well, gosh, Dolly, if that were true, there’d be no reason to email the Grump....

Where would we be without our favorite celebrities? These days, as we continue to hunker down at home amidst the coronavirus pandemic, we’d be a lot more bored without them, that’s for sure. Whether tuning into a bedtime story with Dolly Parton or watching quarantine cooking videos from Joanna Gaines, we’re grateful to these stars for keeping us entertained during a difficult time. (We’re also grateful for all the philanthropic initiatives they’ve spearheaded like Tyler Perry buying groceries for senior citizens in Atlanta and New Orleans and Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen Feeds Students in Need in Arkansas to name two of the many, many examples....

If you love dogs and have some skills in training pups to sit, stay, or do the merengue, you can put that talent to use for a very good cause. Southeastern Guide Dogs, a non-profit that trains dogs to assist people living with disabilities, is looking for a few good volunteer puppy raisers. Sounds like a dream job, right? Brave volunteers will be loaned a ten-week old puppy to love and feed and raise like it was their very own pooch....

When you look at the cost of each element of a home renovation or construction project, flooring is often one of the more expensive line items, especially if you’re talking about flooring for multiple rooms or even an entire house. Many of us may dream of having wide-plank hardwood and marble tile floors in our homes, but when you’re on a limited budget, you can start to feel boxed into considering more cost-effective options....

Earlier this month on September 16, the 55th annual Academy of Country Music Awards took place on stages across Nashville. Amid the coronavirus pandemic with no live audience, they were certainly unlike any others in the show’s history. One of the most standout numbers of the night? Eric Church’s emotive performance of “Stick That In Your Country Song,” the lead single for Church’s upcoming studio album, featuring a special intro recording of Johnny Cash’s “Ragged Old Flag....

Antsing for a one-of-a-kind swimming experience this summer? Then you best head West — all the way to the tiny Southwest Texas town of Balmorhea. There, you’ll find one of the coolest natural pools we’ve ever seen. As Atlas Obscura explained in a recent piece, “Highway 3078, the road off the interstate where the hatchback is decomposing, bends and veers past gated ranches and hills until, at the outskirts of Balmorhea, the monotonous beige on the side of the road transforms into a crystalline blue....

Don’t you wish home updates were as simple as flipping a switch? Swapping out your countertops is no easy feat, but some home updates can actually be simple. Better yet if the easy update really packs a punch. Upgrading your outlet covers only takes five minutes and can instantly upgrade your home. “Outlets are in every room and on nearly every wall in the home. They can have a big impact on the look and functionality of the space,” says Mallory Micetich, a Home Expert at Angi....

Jennifer Smith goes to work every day with a clear sense of purpose. As an oncology nurse in the bone marrow transplant unit of St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, she cares for patients with leukemia. Like the other nurses in her unit, she’s filled with knowledge, experience, and a strong passion for providing the best possible care to her patients. But unlike her counterparts, she also possesses one extra quality that’s proven to be invaluable to her work: perspective....

Fredericksburg may not be hidden any longer, but it’s still a gem. Consider its selling points: more than 150 shops and galleries, many in fine old stone buildings along Main Street; well-preserved German landmarks; the multitude ofinns and bed-and-breakfasts within walking distance of restaurants, live music, and biergartens; and the area’s wineries, several of which rise up from the idyllic pastures alongside U.S. 290. Robbie Caponetto I’ve heard more than one grouch refer to it as “Touristenburg,” but Fritztown, as the longtimers like to call it, comes to its gemütlichkeit spirit (an untranslatable sentiment that roughly means “cordiality”) honestly....

The time has come to graduate from Cheddar. Don’t get us wrong, Cheddar’s rich mouthfeel and sharp and mild varieties make it a wonderful cheese to use. But, there is a better (more sophisticated) cheese that you should be using to revolutionize your mac and cheese: Gruyère. This traditional, hard Swiss cheese comes from pasture-fed cows and is aged for months to develop fine aromas and complex flavors. Still not convinced?...

With a story like this, who wouldn’t want a shopping cart for Christmas? Indeed, we still can’t believe what a thoughtful husband Garth Brooks is to his wife of nearly 15 years, Trisha Yearwood, after hearing this sweet tale from Taste of Country. The husband-and-wife duo recently appeared on the outlet’s Taste of Country Nights radio show to catch up on new music and life, when Yearwood opened up about a very special gift....

They don’t know why he came, but they’re sure glad he did. News that a male painted bunting was spotted along the Potomac River in Maryland traveled fast. Birders flocked to Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park over the weekend, braving in the weather in hopes of catching a glimpse of the vibrant, multi-colored bird so far from its home. A dark blue head, green back, and red underparts. His beauty was unmistakable… and unusual....