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If you’re the kind of person who always has their nose buried in a book (and a few more on standby), then this giveaway could be lifechanging. Bookshop.org, an online bookstore that financially supports local, independent bookstores, is celebrating its second anniversary with a huge giveaway that will award one avid reader free books for the rest of their life. Enter the Golden Bookmark Sweepstakes (yes, that’s a reference to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) now through February 28 for a chance to win free books for life....

The first time my mother made these crystallized sugary cookies, I couldn’t help but eat the entire tin of them. These nut-free, pecan praline look-alikes would rarely last more than two days in our house. I would have one for breakfast with my coffee, one at lunch, and one for dessert after dinner. I grew up eating these all the time—it was the one cookie recipe that my mom simply perfected....

H-E-B’s quest to help its home state recover from last month’s devastating winter storm continues. In the spirit of Texans helping Texans, the grocery store chain has announced that it will donate $1 million across 18 food banks through the Feeding Texas program, providing critical aid to those in need. H-E-B has already delivered 23 truckloads of food and nearly $100,000 in Meal Simple meals to food banks throughout Texas, not to mention the numerous tales of store employees going above and beyond for customers at the height of the crisis....

For me, 2019 was the year of cookbooks. I received copies of old classics and buzzy new favorites for my birthday, at Christmastime, and after my wedding. I arranged them according to color in shelves all around my apartment, and probably didn’t cook out of them as much as a should have. When I did tackle a project from Priya Krishna’s Indian-ish I left the book on my kitchen table, far away from where the actual work was being done....

There is something to be said for a beautifully-decorated cake. It instantly becomes the showpiece at any party, the recipient of countless compliments. There are plenty of techniques for decorating a beautiful cake, some more difficult than others. But trust us when we say that creating an icing drip may just be one of the easiest, but also stunning, ways to decorate a layer cake. Frosting a cake can be tricky, but we’re here with a surefire technique to mask any imperfections....

Holiday memories are made around the Christmas tree, so you want your tree to remain green as long as possible. Whether you prefer fir or pine, selecting a fresh tree will extend its life indoors, while proper care will keep your tree from drying too quickly. The following tips will help you make a Christmas tree last through the holidays. Selecting and Preparing Your Tree The closer to Christmas a tree is cut, the longer it will last....

Jenna Bush Hager will be wheels up this Friday, June 11, to go skydiving in celebration of the life of her late grandpa and former President, George H.W. Bush. The thrill-seeking sport held a cherished place in #41’s heart, and that’s why Bush Hager is ready to put on her brave face come Friday and jump out of a plane live on The TODAY Show in honor of what would have been the former President’s 97th birthday on Saturday....

With the Tokyo Paralympic Games only a month away, the USA Volleyball Women’s Sitting National Team, including middle blocker Nicky Nieves, is gearing up to defend their title after winning gold in the 2016 Rio games against China. While Nieves has been a Team USA member since 2011, she didn’t always play adaptive volleyball for parathletes. In fact, she played and excelled at traditional, standing volleyball throughout her childhood and in college....

February was the month of love, and the Hallmark Channel gave us the gift of four brand new, romantic movies during their Love Ever After month. One of those films was The Secret Ingredient, which was the first-ever movie adaptation of a Hallmark Publishing original novel. The novel of the same name was published in February of 2019. In the book, Kelly and Andrew were once happily in love and engaged....

Thinking of buying a new home in the South and open to relocating? Realtor.com may have some valuable insights for you thanks to their new guide on the easiest places to buy a house in 2020. Their findings are based on the number of listings per 1,000 homeowner-occupied households in the 100 largest metros in America for the fourth quarter of 2019. “The analysis was based on the number of homes for sale relative to the local population,” writes Clare Trapasso in the post of the company’s research methods, adding that they limited the results to one metro per state to ensure geographic diversity....

Congratulations are in order for new parents, Scotty and Gabi McCreery. The pair welcomed their first child, a son, early Monday morning. Merrick Avery McCreery was born October 24 at 4:43 a.m. in Raleigh, North Carolina, weighing in at 7lbs, 13oz and measuring 21 inches long. Both mother and son are doing well, per a statement from McCreery’s management team. The baby was named after Gabi’s father, Merrick (Tre) Dugal III, and will be called Avery....

Looking at her now, it’s hard to believe that Jazmine Robinson was ever hesitant to touch a live fish. She’s come a long way since her first fishing experience seven years ago. “Initially, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it,” she tells Southern Living of that fateful fishing trip with a former boyfriend. “Once I started to bait my own hook and catch fish, the feeling was so rewarding....

Holiday family gatherings down South usually consist of watching football, cute fall decor, and lots of delicious food. And warm, cozy meals? Those are the absolute best, which is why so many home chefs love to use a slow cooker that delivers fall-off-the bone meats, hearty stews, and sometimes even sweet fruit-filled puddings. To feel like a cooking pro this holiday season, check out the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker that’s on sale with a hidden coupon....

Jordan Kruse remembers the bottom of the punch bowl. In Christmas of 2019—the first Christmas Kruse and husband James Hewlette spent in their newly renovated Charleston, South Carolina, home—they hosted an open house that floated on well past its scheduled end time. Dozens of guests remained cozied up to the outdoor fireplace, nibbling ham sandwiches and homemade confetti-cake balls—and draining the citrusy bourbon punch served on the terrace. “It was so much fun,” Kruse said....

Trust us when we say that ranch dressing-lovers are going to want to plan a pilgrimage to this St. Louis eatery ASAP. And bring your bibs, because every single drool-worthy item on the menu at Twisted Ranch uses ranch in some way. Seriously. Chefs incorporate the restaurant’s very own ranch seasoning and ranch flavors into every dish that comes out of the kitchen. If that’s not enough to get your taste buds going, they’re currently whipping up 33 flavors of ranch in house daily, with varieties like cheesy bacon, curry yogurt, jalapeño popper, buttermilk basil, and a whole lot more....

Nearly every condiment shelf and basement bar in the South has one thing in common: a bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce. The ubiquitous paper-wrapped bottle covers one of the most versatile, flavor-packed, umami-filled sauces around—and one that is easily forgotten on a shelf. It’s a key ingredient in the best Bloody Marys, the perfect thing to splash on a steak, and the secret to delicious deviled eggs. But what is Worcestershire sauce?...

When jet streams blast Arctic air down to the Gulf, winter storms impact the South. Record-setting low temperatures and snow storms will flood the region, so everything from people to plants must prepare. If you’re one of those practical gardeners who plant only things native to your area, they’ll probably be fine. On the other hand, if you live in Tulsa and amaze your neighbors with tropical displays of Chinese hibiscus, Norfolk Island pine, banana trees, orchid trees, and Mandevilla, dust off your chainsaw, pruning saw, and loppers—you’re going to need them....

Growing up in the South, there are unspoken protocols that take place in many kitchens far and wide, such as never, ever, ever putting your cast-iron skillet in the dishwasher and that most meals aren’t truly complete unless there is some form of a biscuit, piece of cornbread, or yeast roll on the plate. That’s like having pancakes without syrup or leaving the salt out of the collard greens. In our house, things were hectic, with enough kids and dogs to keep my mother more than busy....

Winter is the testiest of seasons when it comes to our beauty routine. It can make our skin dry and dull. It can turn our hair into a sad, staticky, flat thing. And it can cause even the most rested of us to look…tired. Sullen. All while taking a major jab at the immune system. Yay, winter! There are sneaky beauty mistakes we make in the winter without even realizing it, little tweaks we fail to make that can be the difference between winter glow and winter gloom....

If you find yourself driving south on I-49 toward Fayetteville, Arkansas, any time soon, keep an eye out for the revolving billboards. One of the billboards, which features a photo of an aspiring student-athlete and the proclamation “COACH PITTMAN, I WANT TO BE A HOG,” is particularly hard to miss. And that’s the idea. The now-famous student is 13-year-old Bear McWhorter, an offensive lineman from Cartersville, Georgia. His father Josh, a high school football coach and former left guard for Furman University, works in the billboard business....