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Every year, the rainy season ushers in springtime, which is a welcome arrival. Rather less unwelcome is what spring—and then, eventually, the heat of summer—inevitably brings. Mosquitos buzz in, emerging from eggs laid in stagnant water across the region. Fun, right? The best way to combat mosquitoes is by interrupting their life cycle, consistently dumping out containers, refreshing water in birdbaths, and adding Mosquito Dunks to wet areas that can’t be easily drained....

Parchment paper is one of our editors’ go-to kitchen staples. It’s incredibly versatile and can be both reused and recycled for a more sustainable cookspace. It’s important to note that parchment is different from wax paper in that it’s oven-safe and heat-resistant, so it can be used in the oven. You can use it in temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit before it will start to crisp, darken, and lose its quality....

Every good Southern hostess has her checklist of things to accomplish before the first guest arrives. She prepares the food, vacuums the floors, and wipes off the counter. You’ll be hard pressed to find her unprepared. If anything, she’s over-prepared. Where she often stumbles into trouble though, isn’t the things she wishes she had thought to do, but rather, it’s the things that she regrets doing—the things she wishes she hadn’t done before the party....

Sometimes sleeping hot is unavoidable. No matter whether you have a spring, foam, or hybrid mattress, the top layers can trap heat and keep you sweating all night long—an all-too-unpleasant reality for many of us. The trick is to find a cooling mattress or mattress topper that keeps the air moving. That’s where the Leisure Town Mattress Pad Cover Cooling Mattress Topper ($39.90 for a queen) comes in. It’s designed to promote increased breathability, no more of that heat-trapping top layer....

Lawrence Brooks, the United States’ oldest living World War II veteran, celebrated his 112th birthday in style on Sunday. The supercentenarian usually celebrates his birthdays at The National WWII Museum in his native New Orleans. Sadly, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led museum to arrange a small, socially distanced birthday celebration at Brooks’ home this year. The bash included a performance from the museum’s vocal trio, The Victory Belles, and a Jeep parade courtesy of Kajun Outcast Jeep Club and Northshore Wrangler Association....

“The only thing that’s not made in-house is the sprinkles.” That’s the hallmark of Big Spoon Creamery, an ice cream shop in Birmingham, Alabama, where just about everything is homemade. This artisanal creamery has risen to local acclaim for its gourmet approach to ice cream. With a menu full of tried-and-true classics and inventive flavors alike, Big Spoon prides itself on using local produce and high-quality ingredients, crafting an ice cream experience that you won’t soon forget....

Last night marked another big achievement for Dolly Parton and Christian rock singer Zach Williams. The duo snagged a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music performance/song for their chart-topping duet, “There Was Jesus.” The win was announced prior to the main event, during the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony. “Thank you Jesus, thank you @zachwilliamsmusic, and thank you to the GRAMMYs and all of our fans,” Parton wrote on Instagram after learning the news....

Wanna know who deserves an apology? Chicken thighs. As if it isn’t enough to be upstaged by a less flavorful chunk of meat (ahem chicken breasts), for reasons beyond explanation, this delicious portion of the chicken is too often brutalized atop the grill, on a skillet, or in the oven. By avoiding these five mistakes in preparing your chicken thighs, you’ll gladly jump off the breast bandwagon and enjoy a poultry dinner with a clean conscience, innocent of the chicken-thigh atrocities committed in kitchens across the South every day....

Like the best holidays (looking at you, Thanksgiving), food is one of the main attractions of Easter. Sure, there’s family, friends, and church, but there’s also eggs of all sorts, hot cross buns, and loads of chocolate. For many Southerners, though, the real star of Easter isn’t the marshmallow Peeps, Cadbury Crème Eggs, or chocolate bunnies, but a clove-studded, glazed ham taking a starring role at the holiday meal. While having a giant ham as a centerpiece of an Easter feast is the dream, they do take a lot of time to prepare and perfect....

If we know anything, it’s that there’s always hope. Brighter days are ahead—at least, that’s what I keep telling myself in regard to my apparently disgustingly grimy dishwasher that hasn’t been cleaned since it was purchased over five years ago. The problem is that it doesn’t smell. That sounds a little strange, but the one good thing about a stinky dishwasher? It serves as a reminder to give it a good deep clean....

This hurricane season is shaping up to be even busier than expected. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released a mid-season update to its hurricane forecast Wednesday. In the new forecast, the likelihood of an above-normal season has increased. Experts now predict 15-21 named storms with sustained winds of 39 mph or greater. Of that, seven to 10 hurricanes are expected. And of those, three to five could reach major hurricane strength (with sustained wind speeds of 111 mph or greater)....

Already taken that online quilting class and enjoyed those virtual botanical garden tours? Well, we guess it’s about time to cook dinner. During these challenging times amidst the coronavirus pandemic as our IRL lives shift to the internet, countless small businesses are offering digital platforms for us to be entertained, educated, and enlightened on as we try to maintain a semblance of normalcy. One such outfit? NOCHI (New Orleans Hospitality and Culinary Institute), a non-profit culinary school that will begin offering online cooking classes....

At first glance, a frittata and a quiche seem very much alike. They’re both egg-based dishes typically eaten for breakfast or brunch (although they make a good meal any time of day); you can flavor them with almost any type of cheese, meat, or vegetables; and they slice easily into wedges for serving. You can also eat a quiche or a frittata hot or at room temperature. Although these two dishes have a lot in common, the similarities end there....

Any Texan can tell you: There is no pitstop like a Buc-ee’s pitstop. The chain of Southern convenience stores and gas stations is a sight to behold, with each sprawling store headed up by their jolly cartoon beaver mascot, Buc-ee, and filled with as many eclectic Southern products as one could ever imagine—from regional food that’s actually delicious to souvenirs that prove everything is bigger in Texas. After your first time at a Buc-ee’s, you’ll be ruined for the rest of your roadtrippin’ life....

The Alabama Barn Quilt Trail is changing the landscape of rural Alabama, one colorful, wooden quilt block at a time. Founder Regina Painter saw her first quilt block on a barn while traveling through Tennessee. Determined to bring the idea to the Yellowhammer State, she founded the Alabama Barn Quilt Trail in 2015. According to its official website, the trail is an “agricultural tourism project designed to promote travel and community pride by encouraging the public to explore our roads, farms, businesses, and historic towns....

8 Affordable Timeless Stockings Kunyida Knit Christmas Stockings, starting at $11.71; amazon.com Aogu Faux Fur Sequin Snowflake Christmas Stockings, $18.75 with coupon (orig. $19.74); amazon.com Pottery Barn Classic Velvet Stockings, starting at $10 (orig. $14.50); potterybarn.com Pottery Barn Plaid Stockings, $22 (orig. $29.50); potterybarn.com L.L. Bean Christmas Needlepoint Stocking, $29.95; llbean.com The Holiday Aisle Stocking Set of Six, $30.90 (orig. $45.99); wayfair.com West Elm St. Jude Velvet Stockings, starting at $15 (orig....

Our Test Kitchen has created so many incredible holiday cakes (try this famous white cake) over the years that it’s tough to pick a favorite. And yet, one that our readers go crazy for is the Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream. Doesn’t the title alone make your mouth water? This four-layer cake is truly a showstopper with lightly sweetened bourbon pastry cream, tender eggnog-flavored cake layers, and a rich and creamy buttercream frosting....

Last night’s “We’re Texas” concert hosted by Matthew McConaughey went off without a hitch. The virtual relief benefit tapped some of country music’s biggest names to help raise funds for Texas residents impacted by last month’s devastating winter storms, including a heartfelt performance by legendary crooner and lifelong Texan, George Strait. “He really needs no introduction,” McConaughey said as he placed a cowboy hat on his head. “He is a man who is a testimonial to the Texas gentleman....

If you grew up in the North or Midwest regions of the country, you may be familiar with a dish called City Chicken, either as a mainstay in your weeknight supper rotations or a favorite comfort food. In the South, however, this is one dish that just isn’t very well known. We are famous for our fried chicken, and can fill a notebook with chicken casserole recipes alone, but not many have heard of City Chicken....

Every family has their own traditions, regardless if they reside in the South or across the pond. Some people like to open one gift or a stocking on Christmas Eve. Others prefer to unwrap presents before the big holiday dinner on Christmas Day. We must admit we don’t know which gift-opening tradition Prince George and Princess Charlotte will take part in this season. But, we do have some insight as to what they’ll be noshing on when they gather at their great-gran’s modest estate—the Sandringham House in Norfolk, England—on Christmas Eve....