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It’s holiday time at Aldi, where you’ll find a delightful spread of everything you need for celebrations. From charcuterie board ingredients to cards and turkeys and decor, Aldi has everything to set your table and set you up for the busy holiday season. Aldi’s popularity can mean a rush on favorites; keep in mind supplies are limited and prices may vary by store. Their popular advent calendars sell out quickly, as do many of their limited-edition offerings....

Apalachicola Oysters: What’s So Special?In 2006 noted food writer John T. Edge administered an oral history study about Apalachicola oysters and oyster fishermen with the Southern Foodways Alliance, out of The University of Mississippi. “The oysters there are among the best in the nation,” he said. “They are fat, abundant, rich, and lusty. The oysters are both sweet and salty, and it’s the interplay of the freshwater of the river and the salt water from the Gulf, forming an estuary, that makes the difference and sustains these vibrant oysters....

What happens to Walt Disney World’s life-size gingerbread creations once the holiday season has come and gone? The answer to that question has the internet buzzing. A new TikTok video documenting the theme park’s eco-friendly gingerbread recycling process has gone viral thanks to its unexpected stars: local Florida bees. That’s right. After the holidays, Disney World dismantles its magnificent culinary creations and leaves the structure to be licked clean by swarms of hungry bees....

Have you ever wondered why certain roads are called “streets,” others are called “avenues,” and others are referred to as “boulevards?” Turns out, these thoroughfares are not categorized just on a whim arbitrarily, as you might have thought. Rather, they’re organized in terms of function and size. And while we can’t guarantee that every city, small town, or neighborhood abides by these terms, you can still enjoy learning this historical knowledge and applying it on your next drive....

Thanksgiving is nearly here and my Alabama neighborhood is awash with chrysanthemums – so many, in fact, you’d think the HOA commands it. I see red ones, yellow ones, orange ones, pink ones, and white ones. One other thing I notice. Almost all are growing in pots. I remember when folks used to grow them in the garden. They were easy-peasy when given a sunny spot with well-drained soil, blooming every autumn without fail....

Happy birthday, Betty White! Today, the seemingly ageless Golden Girl is celebrating her 98th trip around the sun. Now, if that’s not worth celebrating, we don’t know what is! Over the course of eight decades in Hollywood, the beloved actress has earned a special place in the hearts of Americans. And fortunately, she’s showing no signs of slowing down. As for the secret to her longevity, the eight-time Emmy winner has offered a few hints throughout the years....

Have you ever purchased a bag of frozen blueberries from the grocery store? When you wanted to pull out a few berries for your morning smoothie, you found the entire bag was frozen into one big blueberry lump, right? I bet you thought “there has got to be a better way!” You are right! While there is technically not a wrong way to freeze blueberries, there is certainly a better way....

Apart from the brave purists that drink bourbon on the rocks all year long—and not just during the holidays with a pecan praline on the side—most people do tend to prefer a cocktail that has some personality in terms of flavor, whether it’s fruity, sour, herby, or fizzy. All of the above? Sure. While it might initially seem like making a cocktail at home that packs as much of a flavorful punch as one you’d order at a restaurant or bar is difficult to do, there is no reason to fear trying your hand as a beginner mixologist....

Some people love bamboo, but far more people loathe it. That’s because they plant this fast-growing, fast-spreading monster as a screen so they can’t see their neighbors. Then in about two weeks, they can’t see themselves either. Bamboo comes up everywhere, until they cry in desperation to Grumpy, “How can we kill this damn bamboo?” Well, it’s easier than you might think. But to understand why, you need to know a little more about it....

Clear the Clutter Many guest room closets tend to house other long-term storage—oversized suitcases, boxes of decorations, and old kids’ clothes. While house guests tend to look past this, ensure an appropriate amount of space in the closet for hanging clothes and that the closet floor is clear for shoes and bags. Also, provide at least one empty dresser (even if it doubles as a small nightstand) for storing folded clothes....

On a recent episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman virtually tuned in to share about her family’s path to adopting their daughter, Dolly. In the segment, Schlapman talks candidly to TODAY co-hosts Hoda Kotb, a mom of two adopted daughters herself, and Jenna Bush Hager, about the process of bringing Dolly Grace home a few days before Christmas in 2016. “Daisy [Schlapman’s biological daughter with husband Stephen Schlapman] had prayed for a baby literally every night for five years,” she begins....

Laura Bush is sharing her list of must-read books for young readers. This week, the former first lady released her annual summer reading list. Mrs. Laura Bush’s 2020 Summer Reading List for Kids breaks up her 22 favorite picks into three age groups: youngest, elementary-school-aged, and middle-school-aged readers. “Now, more than ever, it is important to keep children engaged in reading,” Bush said in a statement. “This summer reading list includes picks for the youngest readers through middle schoolers—with topics ranging from race and kindness, to staying true to yourself, to the special bond of sisterhood—ensuring all readers are kept entertained throughout the summer and into the school year....

You can’t miss them. Standing nearly five feet tall—with a wingspan rivaling the world’s biggest birds—the Port Aransas whooping cranes really make an entrance. Each year, hundreds of whooping cranes settle near Port Aransas on Texas’s Mustang Island. When summer ends, they set their sights southward towards the Gulf and embark on a migration thousands of miles southward from Canada. Through mid-April, birders can glimpse the majestic birds in the wild at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and the Texas Coastal Bend....

Cheese is not the superstar ingredient in macaroni and cheese if you ask Ree Drummond. Mustard powder is. According to Drummond, the humble spice rack staple is a veritable blessing when it comes to elevating the flavor of your go-to mac and cheese recipe. So what does the Drummond love about ground mustard? “I love this ingredient in macaroni [and] cheese. It provides a tangy sharpness without injecting a definable flavor,” she writes in a blog post sharing her much-loved mac and cheese recipe on the Pioneer Woman Blog, back in 2009....

Classic bread pudding is the best example of leftovers and fridge staples that combine to make an amazing dish. What’s not to love about bread pudding? Made with leftover or stale bread and a simple mixture of eggs, milk, sugar, and flavorings, a variation of bread pudding can be served for just about any meal of the day. The bread pudding we know today is derived from England’s famous hasty pudding that was made with flour, milk, eggs, butter, and spices....

If you’ve ever visited Maryland, odds are high you’ve stuck a fork into a slice of what’s now known as Smith Island Cake. The officially designated state dessert consists of at least seven layers of yellow or white cake with cooked fudge icing spread in between, making for one rich, chocolatey slice that only serious sweet tooths may be able to finish. This famed dessert is far more than your basic layer cake, however....

If your fondest memories of homemade ice cream are those of sitting on the ice-cream freezer while grandpa churned it, then you’re just like me. But I’ve come to realize that my children have never even seen me make homemade ice cream. While this flaw in Southern parenting is alarming, it’s fixable. The no-cook variations here are my ticket to family reunion memories for years to come. Several years ago, concerns about egg safety prompted us to cook any ice-cream base that used fresh eggs....

Growing up, I dreamt of being a contestant on the television show Supermarket Sweep. Attending estate sales are only what I can imagine as a similar rush to this. I stumbled across my first estate sale in Atlanta’s Tuxedo Park years ago and bought an upholstered club chair in Quadrille’s Island Ikat fabric on the spot (photo, HERE). I loved the statement it made, adored the fabric, and relished the deal I got on the chair....

Eyes to the skies, folks! A newly discovered comet distinguished by its greenish hue will make an appearance for the first time in thousands of years this week. “If C/2022 E3 has ever passed through the solar system before, it would have last been seen in the sky more than 10,000 years ago,” Jon Giorgini, a senior analyst at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told NPR. NASA scientists expect the comet to be most visible in the Northern Hemisphere on January 12, when it’s closest to the sun....

We all know the benefits of whole wheat bread, but sprouted whole wheat bread might be even better. This type of bread, also known to many as Ezekiel Bread, uses sprouted whole grains—such as wheat, barley, and spelt—to make a loaf that is supposedly easier to digest and lower in gluten. Sprouting grains is a natural process that exposes the seeds to water, allowing them to germinate and sprout. The basic recipe and the name Ezekiel comes from a Bible reference: “take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself....