Monkey grass is the South’s favorite ground cover. It’s easy to find, simple to care for, usually evergreen, and tolerates heat. Throw in the fact that many types boast showy flowers, and you have a keeper. It’s tough too. Tolerant of shallow soil, drought, dogs, and deer, these Asian natives can survive the occasional crushing by car tires, bicycles, and the disoriented FedEx guy. Because it grows thick and mat-like, weeds rarely become a problem....
Southerners know that bacon is more than crispy strips of smoked pork belly. The bacon grease left in your skillet is just as delicious and versatile as the meat itself, and should never go to waste. (Don’t even think about pouring it down the drain!) If you’ve properly stored your leftover bacon grease, you’ll have a flavorful fat that’s ready to use in all sorts of recipes. Here are a few ideas:...
A few months ago, I opened the cabinet doors under my sink to get the dishwashing soap, and it wasn’t there. Thinking it could have been shoved to a far corner, I stuck my arm farther in, reached around the entire cabinet, and landed on nothing but air. It was empty. What I’ve pieced together is this: My toddler, who has been known to throw things in garbage cans and toilets like he’s playing a sorting game with remote controls and socks, spent a few rare unsupervised minutes putting the dishwashing soap, hardwood-floor polish, Windex, and Bar Keepers Friend into the garbage can under the sink....
Entrance fees at America’s national parks are being waived as a reminder that enjoying nature is an excellent way to stay healthy while practicing social distancing during the coronavirus crisis. “I’ve directed the National Park Service to waive entrance fees at parks that remain open,” Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt said in a news release. “This small step makes it a little easier for the American public to enjoy the outdoors in our incredible National Parks....
Oklahoma football legend Marcus Dupree found himself in the right place at the right time earlier this week. The former running back was driving from Norman—where he attended the Sooners’ annual Red-White Game—to Tulsa on Tuesday for an NFL Draft charity event when he witnessed a high-speed crash on the Turner Turnpike. “She was pulling around me, I was in the fast lane and I guess she was going to zip around,” Dupree told KOCO....
While there are some trends that we agree should be left in the 90s (we’re looking at you, low-rise jeans), there are some fashion and beauty staples that we’re relieved to see making a comeback. Besides mom jeans and chunky loafers, press-on nails – a beauty trend that peaked in the 90s – experienced a revival during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for their convenience and versatility. While nail salons were closed, press-on nails were disappearing from shelves at local drugstores for half the cost of a regular gel manicure....
Bees are some of the most essential creatures on the planet, yet a popular pesticide is interfering with the sleep these hard-working insects need to do their important job. In a 2021 study, European researchers gave bumblebees nectar sugar laced with neonicotinoids (one of the most commonly used pesticides) and then tracked their foraging movements. They found that the pesticide greatly impacted the bees’ behavior, posing big consequences for nature’s essential workers and their ability to pollinate, reports CNN....
When it comes to using the dishwasher, it’s not always as simple as load and go. There’s actually an art to loading the dishwasher, and it will look different depending on the brand and model you own. Plus, your utensils, dishware, and favorite coffee mugs will only be as clean as your dishwasher is (yes, it needs cleaning, too). Thankfully, one of the simplest things we can do to make sure our utensils get sparkling clean is to know which direction to place them in when loading the dishwasher....
Sit down, Southerners. I’m about to say something controversial: Not everything on your Thanksgiving table needs to be made from scratch. Does the thought of rolling out a pie crust make you tremble? Pick up some store-bought dough and save yourself the angst. Will your yeast rolls never measure up to the ones made by your dearly departed Granny? By all means, buy some rolls at your favorite bakery and remind everyone that Granny’s rolls were the stuff of legend....
Whether you’re frying your turkey, roasting it, or even opting for a vegetarian feast this Thanksgiving, chances are gravy will make its way onto your table. So what’s an easy way to upgrade your go-to gravy recipe? Soy sauce. The popular Asian condiment actually imbues your Thanksgiving gravy with heightened flavor. “Soy sauce is loaded with umami—the super savory, hard-to-define flavor that can make food insanely addictive. In gravy, you won’t actually taste the soy sauce (unless you add a crazy amount); you’ll just react more strongly to depth of flavor,” writes Lauren Miyashiro for food site, Delish....
Here at Southern Living, celebrating Southern food is what we do. It’s what we love. And while social distancing efforts have kept us from hitting the road to linger over lunch at our favorite catfish place or bucket-list barbecue joint, we’ve never been prouder to call the South home. The food and beverage industry has been hit especially hard the past few weeks, so in an effort to help our friends across the region, we’ve compiled this state-by-state restaurant resource for you....
Adam Adkisson was working at The Home Depot in the Nashville neighborhood of Bellevue when he noticed a small envelope in aisle 22. “I didn’t think anything of it at first,” Adkisson told WSMV. “I thought it was empty, but I thought I’d go back to make sure and when I picked it up, I could feel that It had stuff in it. It had money.” When he realized just how much money—$700 worth of cash—Adkisson contacted a manager....
It’s always a fitting day to express your gratitude to a nurse. These devoted health care professionals do so much for us, and now, more than ever, they are our front line warriors in the fight to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Whether you are looking to do something special for a nurse during National Nurses Week, which runs from May 6 to May 12 (Florence Nightingale’s birthday) or on National Nurses Day Wednesday, May 6, we have some ideas....
Peach ice cream is synonymous with summers in the South. Whether you prefer to make homemade peach ice cream with your fresh farmers’ market haul, get your fill with a seasonal Chick-fil-A milkshake, or pick up a pint at the grocery store, you can’t go wrong when it comes to peach ice cream during a steaming Southern summer. Nostalgic and regional, quality peach ice cream is coveted by Southern Living editors....
The sweet-toothed among us have been in on this culinary gem for a while. Dulce de leche, the creamy, spreadable, sweet goodness that hails from South America swirls into ice creams, sandwiches cookies, and spreads onto scones with glossy ease. But what is dulce de leche, exactly? The Difference Between Caramel and Dulce de Leche The answer is easy, actually. As we know, caramel is simply water and sugar. On the other hand, dulce de leche is, as the name implies (if you’ve brushed up on your Spanish), milk and sugar....
From favorite bowls to beloved figurines to heirloom ceramics, heck, even the kitchen sink, porcelain is part of many a Southern home. We’ve all heard of porcelain. We’ve all used porcelain. Many of us grew up dusting the Lladró porcelain at Grandma’s house. Despite the ubiquity of porcelain, have you ever wondered what porcelain is exactly? And why it costs so much? Let us explain. Porcelain making is an old art....
French hydrangeas may be water hogs, but extended periods of wet weather can cause them big problems. Suddenly, their pristine leaves become spotted, curled, and dusted with powder. The problems are often worst in shady areas with crowded garden beds and stagnant air. It’s natural to feel some panic over your favorite plan, but that’s where I come in to diagnose the ailments and provide solutions.Here are five common problems with hydrangeas and how to fix them....
Corn pudding may not have been invented in the South (that’s a discussion for another day), but we have no problem claiming it as our own. Corn is a staple ingredient in Southern kitchens, we love a casserole, and it’s an indulgent way to eat your vegetables—another thing Southerners are known for. I love corn pudding for another reason entirely: it’s nearly impossible to screw up, and you can put your own creative spin on it....
Once a sleepy coastal city where retirees congregated on green benches lining the streets, Tampa’s neighboring town now draws entrepreneurs, painters, and travelers—from beach lovers to art aficionados. (Retirees have a lot more fun too.) “My parents told me, ‘You’re too young to move to St. Pete,’” said Emily Elwyn, who relocated anyway, along with scads of other Gen-Xers and millennials who’ve helped invigorate this town. “So much of what people want is what we already have: a walkable downtown, front-porch neighborhoods, funky old buildings, and access to the arts, parks, and recreation....
As long as there has been retinol and red lipstick, there have been so-called beauty “please-dos” and plenty of beauty “no-nos.” While much comes down to preference—and we’re not ones to tell anyone to change who they are or how often they like to use the curling wand—other times it involves practices that can enhance or stifle skin health or natural beauty, which are two areas we don’t like to mess around with....
