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As the year winds down and fall begins its slow descent into winter, many Southerners are bracing for the cold. In the design world, however, things are just heating up. Not only are the new year’s hottest hues making their grand debut, but trend experts are also gearing up to make their anticipated predictions for home interiors in 2020. And good news for those who want to get a head start on their remodeling plans: The first of these forecasts is here....

Southern Living recently spoke to Turkey Talk-Line supervisor, Andrea Balitewicz, and she shared tips, tricks, and some interesting stories from the last four decades. What’s the most asked question? Balitewicz said they get the most questions regarding how and when to thaw your turkey. Turns out you should do it much earlier than you probably think. “So, say they have a 20 lb. turkey. They’re not used to thawing for such a long period of time....

Carla Hall joins Sid Evans on Biscuits & Jam to share details about her new book, what her grandmother would cook every Sunday after church, and the differences between Southern food and Soul food. Get to Know Carla Hall Born and raised in Nashville, Carla Hall began a modest lunch delivery service after moving to Washington, DC. Over the years, her dynamic personality and creativity in the kitchen turned her into a culinary rock star....

The world loves model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen for her outspoken personality on social media. She speaks her mind on Twitter, shares pictures of famous husband John Legend on Instagram, and shows off her cooking skills on Snapchat. Today we love her even more because she featured our very own carrot cake recipe on all three of those platforms. While she didn’t give an exact link for the recipe (we can help you there, Chrissy!...

From Faith Hill and Tim McGraw’s spaghetti and meatballs to Dolly Parton’s elevator chimney, celebrities have all sorts of interesting Christmas traditions. The same is true for Craig Melvin, who shared his family’s unusual tradition in the Today streaming special, “Holidays in My House.” After demonstrating a bit of cookie making with his two young kids, the South Carolina native revealed that his family sings not carols, but “Happy Birthday” after Christmas Eve dinner....

Exciting news, gospel fans: Lifetime and Robin Roberts have announced that Danielle Brooks will star in The Mahalia Jackson Story in the lead role as the world-renowned gospel singer, who also fought valiantly for civil rights. A New Orleans native, Jackson is perhaps best known for her 1948 recording of “Move on Up a Little Higher,” a resoundingly popular version of the William Herbert Brewster song, which became an anthem for change as Jackson performed it at landmark events like John F....

Actor, comedian, and Instagram-sensation Leslie Jordan might have been born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but when it comes to Southern cities, it’s Savannah that has his heart. “I’m as Southern as they come and let me tell you: That is the Southern town right there,” Jordan said in a recent interview with Atlanta Magazine. The diminutive entertainer explained how he spent several months in the Hostess City while filming a BBC TV series called Living the Dream in 2017....

We all know that dreaded feeling of arriving at a relaxing vacation only to realize you’ve forgotten to bring a book. When that happens, your options are limited. You’re left hoping your hotel has a library, then praying there’s something decent to pick up. At The Ben in West Palm Beach, Florida, neither of those measures are necessary thanks to the hotel’s new Book Butler Program. What’s a Book Butler? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like....

Bugs won’t eat them. Deer won’t munch on them. Heat and drought won’t faze them. And when it comes to beautiful blooms in the dead of winter, no other perennials can touch them. These amazing plants are Lenten roses (Helleborus orientalis). If your garden has shady to partly shady spots, you simply must grow them. In the past, they came in only two colors: white and rose. But since then, manic plant breeders such as Barry Glick of Sunshine Farm & Gardens (sunfarm....

As Veterans Day approaches on Wednesday, November 11, we’re all carving out extra time to appreciate those who have served and continue to serve our country. Whether making a donation to a worthy cause, volunteering for a nonprofit that supports veterans, or simply order some food at Cracker Barrel to support their partnership with Operation Homefront, there are countless ways to honor these heroes. Today, we’ll be blasting Hootie & the Blowfish’s new song, “Won’t Be Home For Christmas....

One man’s poor night of sleep saved the life of an endangered sea turtle in South Carolina last week. Steve Brooks was visiting Hilton Head Island with his wife Pam when he was struck by a bout of insomnia. Unable to sleep, Steve decided to go for a walk on the beach instead. Strolling through the dark around midnight, he came across a mama loggerhead turtle stuck in the sand....

There’s nothing sweeter than a drizzle of golden honey as a fruit or cheese topper, toasty drink sweetener, or folded into a recipe. But what happens when you reach for the honey, only to find it hardened into the container? Fear not: It’s still safe to eat, and you can successfully revive hardened honey using a variety of different methods and containers. Here’s how to soften honey. How To Soften Honey in Warm Water If you have the time, you can soften honey in a plastic or glass vessel by placing the container into a bowl of hot—but not boiling—water....

It’s second nature to store fresh produce in your refrigerator, but not all of your fruits and vegetables enjoy being chilled. Like sweet potatoes, for instance. These delicious root vegetables thrive in warm weather, which is why they grow abundantly throughout the South. Once harvested, sweet potatoes must be “cured”, or left to dry in a dark place for several weeks. The curing process prevents the potatoes from shrinking too quickly as they age and converts the potatoes’ natural starches to sugars, which gives the potatoes their signature sweet flavor....

If you loved Jean Smart in the 1980s sitcom, Designing Women, about an Atlanta interior decorating firm, get excited for Jean Smart’s latest project that takes place in the South, Miss Macy. Smart will play the lead role in the upcoming movie about an Anniston, Alabama, charm school run by the unconventional Olma Macy Harwell, as AL.com unearthed. The film is a small town tale that leads to big city dreams come true, and we’re guessing it will keep viewers on the edge of their seats all the way through....

Six months after revealing her cancer diagnosis via a heartfelt letter to her fans, Jo Dee Messina’s team has shared a long-awaited update on the singer’s health. In a lengthy Facebook post, Messina’s team begins by thanking her fans for the outpouring of love and support that followed her diagnosis, before revealing that not only is she “feeling well,” she’s also busy working on new music. “That new music speaks directly to where Jo Dee’s heart was during a tumultuous summer and where it remains today—a place of gratitude for an unconditional, real, and faithful love,” the post continues....

Our New Year’s phrase of the year: “Be more like Joanna Gaines.” Joanna Gaines’ word of the year: “Rest.” Even the Leading Lady of Waco needs time to slow down, and this year she’s committed to making it one of restorative rest. In fact, she’s been so devoted to achieving more productive rest in her life, she’s settled on this same word for the past few years. In a new post on the Magnolia blog, Gaines expressed her desire to free herself from perpetual busyness and carve out time for much-needed rest....

Kids these days, bless them, they don’t even know how to introduce themselves. We have no one to blame but our cell phones. Oh, you didn’t think I was going there? Well, buckle up because I have a definite theory on the repercussions of straight peer-to-peer conversations that take the parental figures out of the equation. Raise your hand if you remember the exact script your parents taught you to recite when calling a friend’s house?...

After more than half a century in business, Price’s Chicken Coop, the iconic fried chicken joint in Charlotte’s rapidly developing South End, is closing its doors. “It is with heavy hearts that The Chicken Coop has decided to close our doors after 59 years of business due to the Labor shortage, rising food costs, food quality, and another coin shortage,” the restaurant revealed on Facebook Thursday morning. The beloved institution’s final day of business will be Saturday, June 19....

Long before compost bins were stylish enough to sit on your countertop and “farm-to-table” was part of our regular vocabulary, Southern cooks were resourceful with their home-grown produce scraps. Bacon grease sat on the counter for a number of uses, plenty of interesting ingredients could be pressed between two slices of white bread with a little mayo, and nothing—I mean nothing—went in the trash. This Southern tendency to wring something out to the last drop has trickled down to my home, where cooking for two people can yield odd serving sizes and plenty of leftovers....

I can’t recall exactly when I first tasted persimmon pudding, but I do know the place: my grandmother’s North Carolina dairy farm kitchen, where I spent many happy hours feasting on the simple, seasonal Southern dishes I still love to cook today. The Simple Pleasure of Persimmon Pudding Dense and sturdy enough to cut into squares like a brownie, Grandmother’s recipe was spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. Its sweet flavor, moist texture, and deep brown hue pleased me greatly, even though it was rather plain compared to the monumental coconut layer cakes and decadent pies she baked for the holidays....