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Way back in 1891, Oscar Weber Bilby started making his own root beer on his farm in what is now Tulsa, Oklahoma. He combined roots and barks and some 14 secret ingredients to create his sweet soda pop for his family to enjoy. Bilby was quite the culinary genius as historian Michael Wallis is quite certain that he invented the hamburger at a Fourth of July barbecue in 1891. It was the family’s root beer, though, that started to develop a reputation....

Wynonna Judd joins host Sid Evans on Biscuits & Jam to talk about life on her farm, her deep connection to her fans, and her mother Naomi’s list of rules around the holidays. Plus, how her latest EP Recollections showcases a connection to her past. Get to Know Wynonna Judd With her mother Naomi Judd, Wynonna has earned five Grammys and 14 number-one singles, like “Why Not Me” and “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days),” making the duo one of the most successful acts in country music history....

There are certain people we rely on to deliver consistently great recipes, time and time again. Sure, we love to draw culinary insight from the chefs at the helm of five-star restaurants or swanky city bistros. But some of our favorite culinary personalities started right where you are: in the home kitchen. Now you might see their faces on your TV screen or smiling from the shelves of the cookbook section at your favorite bookstore....

Every home renovation project causes its share of headaches, but kitchen overhauls can be particularly frustrating—as well as pricey. Because it’s not just the look and feel of the space you’re contemplating; there are also a whole range of appliances to select, plumbing concerns to consider, and storage issues to work through. Not to mention, you and your family still need to eat three meals a day, and takeout gets old in a hurry....

We all have those super-organized people in our lives: the ones who always seem to get things done long before they’re due, keep their homes and offices clean and decluttered, and never forget to do that one random task. It may seem like those friends or coworkers are running on overdrive or have better memories than the rest of us to get it all done, but the truth is, the secrets to their success are things anyone is capable of doing....

We can’t get enough of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The idyllic mountain town—which serves as the gateway to Smoky Mountains National Park—has got to be one of the most amazing places in the South to vacation. And it’s only getting better. Anakeesta, an outdoor adventure theme park which first opened in 2017, is undergoing a $6 million expansion—and the upgrades sound amazing. In addition to a new observation tower that will be downtown Gatlinburg’s highest point, there will be a new tree house adventure (rendering above), that’s connected with a net challenge course and areas for swinging and hanging out....

610 MagnoliaRegulars to chef Edward Lee’s tables know to expect the unexpected. Eating at 610 is an exercise in willing submission as Lee’s six-course, prix fixe menus change nightly based on market-fresh ingredients. Wine-paired tasting menus range from amazingly affordable to budget-be-damned lavish, and the pace of dinner here is always relaxed. 610 West Magnolia Avenue; 610magnolia.com, 502/636-0783. Lilly’sSince launching her venerable, upscale-casual spot a quarter century ago, chef-owner Kathy Cary is credited with spurring the farm-to-table movement in the city’s dining rooms....

We’re sad to report that Texas lost one of its greatest educators and friend to many on Saturday, June 6th, when Dr. Thomas F. Freeman passed away at the age of 100 from natural causes. Though “debate coach” doesn’t accurately capture all that he did as the founder of the TSU Debate Team, the beloved faculty member Emeritus at Texas Southern University helped bring TSU debaters to international prominence, as well as influence many luminary figures....

Life has been busy for our favorite Laurel, Mississippi couple since they started filming season 6 of their popular HGTV home makeover show, Home Town, just three weeks ago. However, despite their busy schedules and growing fanbase (Erin recently hit 1 million followers on Instagram), Erin and Ben have always made it clear that family comes first. After having their second daughter Mae at the end of May (how fitting!), the couple took time away from filming to bond as a new family of four....

For as long as we can remember, red and green have been the colors associated with Christmas. But few people realize why these complementary hues represent the popular holiday or where its origins begin. This traditional color scheme has a history rooted in symbolism, religion, and even Coca-Cola. Here’s what you need to know about the classic red and green Christmas color palette. Celtics and the Winter Solstice According to Reader’s Digest, it started centuries ago with ancient Celtic people who revered red-and green-colored holly plants for surviving the winter....

They say fruit is nature’s candy. It’s delicious, sweet, and it comes in its own wrapper. There’s just one little thing we tend to forget about nature: while it’s beautiful, but it can also be awfully dirty. This includes that piece of fruit sitting on the counter and the carrots in your vegetable crisper. According to Natalie Sexton, producer of Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Co. in Fort Pierre, Florida, all fruits and vegetables should be cleaned before you consume them....

Dinner is coming right up when a smart air fryer is your kitchen companion, but does the routine maintenance take away some of the convenience? Definitely not. Learning how to clean your air fryer is as simple as following a few straightforward steps, which just might include loading up the dishwasher with the appliance’s accessories and giving the rest of the unit a good wipe down. Yes, the process is just as easy as it sounds....

We’re absolutely addicted to hair tutorials. We could sift through Pinterest and YouTube all day looking for the latest tricks for making everyday our best hair day ever. Imagine our excitement when, thanks to the newly unveiled 2017 Pinstyle Report from Pinterest, we stumbled upon a story about how to curl short hair that’s been pinned more than 100,000 times. Of course, we had to do some investigating to find out what all the fuss is about....

For many Southerners, porches are open-air extensions of our living rooms. Over the past year, especially, outdoor gathering spaces have been essential for safely visiting with family and friends. When our team had started designing our Kentucky Idea House, adding spacious porches for year-round living were at the top of their to-do list. With the Ohio River in our backyard, the house is oriented around the rear view. The sweeping landscape can be taken in from every inch of the 534-square-foot covered porch, plus the patio and bourbon pavilion that are nestled into the yard....

It’s happened to all of us – the bunch of bananas meant to be used in smoothies or enjoyed as a healthy snack are now sitting on the kitchen counter, turning a not-so-appetizing shade of brown. Beside the unpleasant sight, there’s an even worse result: fruit flies. What are fruit flies? Fruit flies are one of those pests that we’re not completely certain how they appear in our homes, but we want them out as soon as possible....

When you think about grilling, the first foods that come to mind are probably hamburgers and hot dogs. While these are some of our favorite barbecue staples for pool parties and tailgates, we’re here to show you just how versatile your grill can be. From skirt steak to pork chops, we love to cook all types of meat on the grill to impart a smoky, charred flavor. Grilling is a simple art that, when mastered, leads to plenty of easy, breezy meals and endless flavor combinations....

When it comes to showing appreciation for gifts and grand gestures, our mamas taught us to always, always pen a handwritten thank-you note. But what about those smaller, equally thoughtful moves, like when a neighbor brings over some blueberries from his backyard or a coworker grabs an extra coffee for you on her way to work? In an era where we’ve grown accustomed to social media and lightning-fast responses, we often wonder—is a thank-you text ever an appropriate substitute for a handwritten note?...

Southern Living editor-at-large, Jenna Bush Hager, has a way with words. Sometimes, it’s simply the way she phrases things in her role as TODAY show co-host with Hoda Kotb. Sometimes, her gift for wordsmithing reveals itself in an open letter to her daughters Poppy and Mila about inner beauty. Sometimes, it’s in the pages of our magazine and on our website. Right now, we’re also looking forward to seeing her talent for prose shine in her upcoming book about her grandparents, Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss....

Alabama The Hound (Auburn), thehound-auburn.comAll signature cocktails half off from 2 to 6 p.m. Avondale Brewing Company (Birmingham), avondalebrewing.com Pachyderm Pale Wheat, $2.50 from 5 to 7 p.m. Carrigan’s Public House (Birmingham), carriganspub.comThe Best of Both Worlds stirred cocktail with scotch and gin, $6; daily punch, $5; shots of Fernet, $4 all night Garage Cafe (Birmingham), garagecafe.usFrom-scratch Bloody Marys with eight different spices, $6 from 5 to 7 p.m. Good People Brewing Company (Birmingham), goodpeoplebrewing....

In late January, Matthew McConaughey appeared on ABC’s talk show, Popcorn with Peter Travers, to talk about his new movie Gold. Before long, the conversation turned to a topic familiar to all Southerners: hometown pride. McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas. The youngest of three boys, Matthew was raised by his lively mother, “KMac,” and larger-than-life father, Jim. To this day, McConaughey’s hometown Texas roots show through in his leisurely drawl, his charisma, his penchant for whiskey, and the time he spends giving golf cart rides to UT students....