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Homemade cakes are a point of pride among Southern bakers, sometimes civic pride. Many cakes are born of local ingenuity, starting as a response to a hometown or backyard specialty. Good Southern cooks are inventive and resourceful, always looking for tasty ways to make the most of what’s at hand. Good Southern bakers are no exception. Many of the South’s most lauded confections are ornate layer cakes, made only for special occasions and displayed on the fancy stand that rests in the china hutch the rest of the year....

It may not be spring quite yet (the season officially kicks off on Saturday, March 20), but Magnolia Market has debuted their latest seasonal displays at their Waco store, and it sure looks dreamy. In a new post on the Magnolia blog, the team chronicles all the transformation the space underwent to usher in this time of rebirth and renewal, writing, “This season, we are resetting our definition of time—believing that it isn’t something to lose, but something we get to choose....

There are two things I’ve always been able to count on at my grandparents’ South Carolina beach condo: a sparkling view of the Atlantic and a bowl of marinated cucumbers in the fridge. My grandmother was an amazing cook, churning out small batches of fudge at Christmas, enormous batches of hot dog chili at Halloween, and whatever she saw on Food Network in between. In spring and summer, thanks to the garden my grandfather tended at the family farm down the road, marinated cucumbers were always on the menu....

Don’t let the proper facade fool you. the best way to explore this Virginia homestead is on an off-road vehicle with an 11-year-old boy as your driver. Buckle up, put on a helmet, and let your tour guide show off a few tricks along the way. This is life at Cat Rock Mountain, where getting muddy isn’t just allowed, it’s required; where sophisticated never means stuffy; and where family time is the greatest luxury of all....

There’s something we find just so comforting about the Little House on the Prairie books. Whether you’re picking them up for the first or five hundredth time, the prose is a true joy to read, even if you’ve long graduated from your grade school days. The series was written by Laura Ingalls Wilder starting in 1932, and gives an eye-opening view into life on the American frontier. The mostly autobiographical children novels have since been turned into a movie and popular television series, but there’s something about reading Ingalls Wilder’s written word that just soothes our soul....

When the waffle maker appears on the kitchen counter, you know it’s going to be a good morning. Because when the waffle maker’s out, things are going to happen. Special things. It’s not a running-out-of-the-house bowl of cereal type of morning, or even a run-of-the-mill scrambled egg type of morning. It’s a waffle topped with syrup and all the whipped cream kind of morning. Special. With the Mini Maker ringing it at just $9....

An exclusive Dallas restaurant known for its tasting menu is making headlines not for its food, but for going above and beyond to make a memorable dining experience for a Deaf couple. In a now-viral Twitter thread, D Magazine’s online dining editor Nataly Keomoungkhoun shared a story about the service her sister, Melissa Keomoungkhoun, and her husband, Victor Montiel, received at Tatsu Dallas that nearly brought her to tears. “I visited Tatsu Dallas for the first time in August,” Nataly wrote....

On Thursday morning, 17-year-old Chloe Adams woke up to water pouring into her home in Whitesburg, Kentucky, from all angles. Chloe was alone except for Sandy, the dog she’s had since she was a toddler. Torrential rains pummeled eastern Kentucky late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, resulting in catastrophic flooding in Hazard, Jackson, Garrett, Salyersville, Booneville, Whitesburg, and Perry County. “There was water as far as I could see,” Chloe told CNN....

Ryan Beihoffer was accepted to his dream college, the University of Tennessee, and was on track to attend with his girlfriend and best friend when his life took a turn. During his senior year of high school, severe back pain revealed itself as leukemia. The teen, hospitalized for life-saving treatment, watched from afar as his friends graduated from high school and as college began this fall. “It’s drained his morale quite a bit, initially,” Ryan’s father Jess told Local 3 News....

Luscious baked sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole (with or without marshmallows!), roasted potatoes, skillet-fried potatoes, potatoes au gratin, trendy Hasselback potatoes—there is no rendition of Thanksgiving’s favorite family of tubers that isn’t welcome at the holiday table. However, there’s also not a one of them that can replace the mandatory star(ch) of the season, and that’s a big bowl of buttery, creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes. No matter what other potato dish you might have on the menu, this is the one that you’ll be judged on and one of the most critical staples of the holiday....

On a quiet family farm deep in rural Maryland, an early-morning doctor’s visit found its way into the history books. There, in the predawn hours of April 15, 1865, a stranger came knocking on the door of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd—or so the doctor said. The alleged stranger was actually John Wilkes Booth, who had shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D. C., just hours before. A successful actor and Southern sympathizer, Booth originally planned to kidnap Lincoln, but his abduction plans failed....

Whether you’re running errands, grabbing a quick lunch, or even walking your dog, this jumpsuit has you covered. It’s lightweight fabric is optimal for wearing on warmer days, while an elastic band at its center is adjustable with a drawstring for optimal comfort. A back button closure ensures a secure fit without feeling snug, and two pockets at the sides allow for convenience. Buy It: Starting at $21; amazon.com The slight off-shoulder cut also elevates the overall look of the jumpsuit, giving it that breezy and effortless look, but a sleeveless tank top-like cut is also available if you’re seeking an airier feel....

Leave it to a designer who spent her childhood summers on concert tour buses to make a dated, cramped space look worthy of a ballad. “Everything on those buses served multiple purposes; the bench became a table that became a bunk,” recalls Nashville-based Hannah Crowell, whose parents are country music stars Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell. The decorator brought her years of spatially efficient vagabonding to this particular home, built in the mid-1980s in the vacationland of Seaside, Florida....

Regular visits to the groomer are essential, especially with two long-haired dogs at home, but the cost adds up. To help reduce the amount of times they need to be groomed, I have tried what seems like every tool on the internet. After accumulating quite the collection of dog brushes, I finally found an all-in-one deshedding tool that actually works, and is super affordable. Some five-star reviewers call this two-sided undercoat rake a “miracle worker,” and they’re not being dramatic—it actually works wonders....

I had high expectations when I set my sights on Charleston for the first time. A place doesn’t win the title of South’s Best City three years in a row without a gift for hospitality and plenty of charm. The city brims with both—that’s evident—but there’s more. Charleston is home to hundreds of years of history and is still constantly reinventing itself. First, I noticed the palm trees. They line the sidewalks and shake their shaggy heads as the salty gusts roll in from the harbor....

Myriad recipes call for Greek yogurt, and not just for breakfast parfaits. We’re fond of using this tangy and versatile dairy product in all sorts of recipes, from dips to dessert. It’s so common place in the kitchen these days, you probably have a quart in your fridge right now. Have you ever wondered why recipes specifically call for Greek yogurt instead of regular, though? It seems like only yesterday that there was only one type of plain yogurt available at the store, and the choice, if any, was between low and full fat....

It’s no secret that Southern grandmothers are a wealth of inspiration and influence, handing down their talents, wisdom, and tradition to a generation of grandchildren. In terms of talent, my grandmother Florence Rose (who often went by the nicknames Flince or Mother Long) was particularly adept in the culinary and gardening department. I was in awe of her ability to make biscuits from scratch at a moment’s notice and mesmerized at the intricacies of making divinity (hint: best to prepare on a slab of marble)....

Unlike the beautiful kitchens we often feature in our magazine, my apartment kitchen is far from print cover material. It’s tiny and overstuffed, completely lacks any natural light, and the dishwasher only works about 50% of the time. I’ve learned to work around its limitations including the lack of space, and have had to use quite a bit of creative thinking when it comes to storage. If you’re anything like me and are always looking for ways to make your kitchen work better for you, then check out these four tricks for maximizing your space–all of which are renter-friendly and don’t require any power tools....

A potluck favorite, the squash casserole is one of the those old-school recipes everyone needs to master. It’s goes well with almost any protein, and can be served as a meatless main that’s hearty and satisfying on its own. While most recipes for this casserole are fairly straight-forward, there are a few common problems that plague this dish, from a watery filling to a soggy cracker crust. But don’t give up!...

A bowl of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes is a welcome addition to any meal, whether a quick weeknight supper or the annual family get-together at Thanksgiving. Ask a group of Southerners to list their favorite comfort foods, and homemade mashed potatoes will undoubtedly rank high on every list. Is it your turn to make the mashed potatoes for the holiday potluck and you want to perfect your technique? Read on for eight mistakes you may be making with mashed potatoes and how to correct them....