Growing up, there was always coffee in my house. I was raised by an avid coffee drinker who was raised by an even bigger coffee fan, so there was always a fresh pot on when guests arrived. Since I was surrounded by women who drank coffee not leisurely but as a sport, they weren’t afraid to sip on a cup with a 3 p.m. snack or even post-dinner, as the caffeine didn’t affect them the way it might a fair-weather coffee fan....
While we are unabashed Christmas decorating fanatics, we have a countdown for when is the perfect time to set up the Christmas tree. We realize that Christmas decorators generally fall into two decorating timeframes: the pre-game Christmas decorators and the after-party decorators. Since there are so many ways to deck the halls, here are Southern Living’s suggestions for when to put up your Christmas tree. The Earliest Time To Set Up Christmas Trees Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the earliest you should set up a Christmas tree or decorate Christmas-specific decorations....
Don’t let these decorating mistakes cramp your style. We’re sharing our no-fail tips for making the most of your square footage—no contractor required. These are all things you can implement into your space to take advantage of your square footage, regardless if you have a small or a large room. We commonly make these mistakes, and often don’t realize just how tiny it is making our space look. By trying one or two of these tips, you just may find that your room opens up again and you can finally breath....
Want to make your entire house smell like fall? Even if it’s still in the 80s outside, baking a pan of spice cake will get you into the autumn spirit. This simple, homey dessert comes together in minutes and is as simple as baking a loaf of quick bread. Here are three tips to make any spice cake recipe even better. Bring on the Buttermilk Most of our spice cake recipes call for a generous amount of buttermilk in the batter....
Long before he was worth two billion dollars, Apple CEO Tim Cook was a student at Robertsdale High School in Robertsdale, Alabama. More than 40 years after graduating, Cook hasn’t forgotten where he came from. Each year he sponsors almost $50,000 worth of scholarships at the Mobile-area school. And this month, when the Golden Bear Marching Band needed some extra help, he came through yet again. On the first day of summer vacation, band director Lee Hughes had dozens of marching band members report to the band room for a special surprise....
Skin irritation, redness, itching—you know the signs. If you’ve been out in the garden recently and have come away with a nasty rash, you may have gotten yourself into a patch of poison ivy. Poison ivy is a notorious garden lurker and a toxic plant. A brush of a poison ivy leaf on bare skin can send even the hardiest gardener into discomfort, even misery. It’s not just bare skin, though—if the oils from the poison ivy plant touch clothing or gloves and later come into contact with skin, it’s likely going to be rash city....
Ahhhh, that blissful moment when you’ve returned to your Airbnb after an afternoon of sightseeing and shopping, excited to unwind with that delectable Cabernet Sauvignon you bought at the local market. But as you begin to frantically search the contents of each drawer in the kitchen, your worst nightmare is confirmed: Your hosts have somehow managed to think of everything except a corkscrew. And while your initial instinct may be to leave a scathing review (and let’s face it, they deserve it), take a deep breath....
Fresh garlic is a simple pleasure in life. With Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, I consider it indispensable in the kitchen. Since I cook with it almost daily, I want my garlic to be as fresh and local as the rest of my produce. So, unless I purchase garlic from a community-supported agriculture or farmers’ market, how do I know, I am purchasing domestic garlic? What is the Difference Between American and Chinese Garlic?...
In February 1966 appeared the first issue of Southern Living. And this was the first cover, taken down in Mobile of a beautiful yard covered with Azaleas. Well, February 2016 is going to be our 50th anniversary. So we thought, wouldn’t it be a great idea if we could go down to Mobile to that very same yard and recreate the scene? I put out a post on my Grumpy Gardener Facebook page asking if anybody recognized this shot....
This holiday season, Krispy Kreme has decided to put everyone on the Nice List. Today, the doughnut giant revealed its “Nicest Holiday Collection,” which includes two new deliciously festive doughnuts, available in stores beginning Friday, November 27. And as a thank you to the hardworking elves who help Santa deliver packages, Krispy Kreme will give all mail, parcel and package delivery drivers who visit Krispy Kreme shops Monday, November 30 a free Original Glazed dozen—no purchase necessary....
Welcome to Grumpy’s garden on this fine spring day! See that bush over there with light pink blossoms and long, protruding stamens? Notice the delicate perfume lingering in the air? Some folks call it “wild honeysuckle” because the blooms resemble those of Japanese honeysuckle, the ones we picked as kids to extract a drop of honeyed nectar for our tongues. But it isn’t honeysuckle and that’s a very good thing....
For the past 20 years, Navarro College has had the best cheerleading squad nobody ever heard of. Until now, that is. Thanks to the new hit Netflix series Cheer, the world-renowned cheerleading program is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Somehow, Netflix found its way to the small, two-year college in tiny Corsicana, Texas, and boy are we glad they did. The first six-episode season of the reality series premiered to rave reviews last week, garnering a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and an article in The Washington Post called it the “documentary that hard-working cheerleaders have long deserved....
Succulents are amazing additions to gardens, indoor and out. The photo-worthy plants come in almost every color of the rainbow—red, blue, orange, purple, and, of course, green—which means they can provide a brilliant pop of color to any setting. They look lovely lining a window sill or as a centerpiece for a breakfast table or in a container in a corner of the garden. They are incredibly popular right now, popping up on Pinterest and HGTV shows and everywhere in between....
It might not be the first flavor that enters your mind when you think about making pudding, but we’re convinced it should be. Southerners take their dessert dishes very seriously, and because of that, we rarely venture outside our tried-and-tested sweets. After all, it’s tough to beat Mama’s beloved Hummingbird Cake, but we’re here to tell you that pineapple pudding could give all other desserts a run for their money....
With Good Friday and Easter fast approaching, many who observe the spring holidays are getting ready to bake up a storm — and if you’re Ree Drummond, to bake up a storm for your friends. More specifically, platters of hot cross buns with perfectly sweet icing. In a recent blog post from Drummond on The Pioneer Woman about hot cross buns, the Pawhuska Princess shared more about the “delicious Good Friday tradition....
The Sweetheart Rose is known by many names. Over the decades since its cultivation, it’s been called by its scientific name, Rosa ‘Cécile Brünner’, as well as ‘Mademoiselle Cécile Brünner’, Sweetheart Rose, Malteser Rose, and ‘Mignon’. Many of its names nod to the sweetness of its appearance. The blooms produced by this shrub are small, delicate, and fragrant light pink flowers that appear in double forms on deep green foliage. It’s a polyantha rose—one that produces small blossoms in abundant sprays—that was first cultivated in France in the late 1800s....
You know you’re in the South if you’re eating fried chicken for breakfast. While many mamas have been sliding fried chicken between biscuits for years for an easy portable breakfast, it was 37 years ago that Chick-fil-A made it official by putting a breakfast chicken biscuit sandwich on their menu. Since then, the Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit has become a fan favorite, with folks lining up in the morning for one of their crispy chicken-meets-fluffy biscuit sandwiches....
After many years of practice, you’ve finally mastered the recipe for the perfect pot of mashed potatoes. You’ve discovered the optimal ratio of butter to milk to potato, and you’ve played around with added dairy elements to achieve extra creaminess (buttermilk? Yes please). Your holiday crowd overwhelmingly praises the dish—but when it comes time to pack up leftovers, the guests set their sights on the extra turkey legs and Nana’s pumpkin pie, leaving the half-full pot of mashed potatoes largely untouched....
Even on the darkest days of winter, there are still plenty of gardening activities to enjoy. Get outside while the sun is shining to clip blooms and branches for a winter bouquet. Or grow something indoors to scratch that gardening itch. Indoors and out, these ten garden activities will help you beat the winter blues. Force Flowers Indoors Brighten up a winter day with fresh flowers. Many flowering bulbs can be forced to bloom out of season for a colorful winter display....
Grab a picnic blanket and settle in for one of these firework shows, because it will be a night to remember. Alabama Head to Lake Martin for the annual Fireworks over Lake Martin show at The AMP. The show begins at sundown with a pre-fireworks concert. Tickets can be purchased The AMP’s website. Georgia In Atlanta, catch their annual Fantastic Fourth Celebration on July 1-5 at 9:30 P.M. The extended Fireworks Celebration takes place immediately after the Lasershow Spectacular each night....
