Posts

Busy home cooks know that the key to preparing three meals a day is to have utensils and gadgets at home that make cooking more streamlined from start to finish. Pots and pans that only have one function and are a pain to clean? No thank you. That’s the reason Our Place’s Always Pan has gained such an appreciative following ever since its inception—the famous 8-in-1 pan is not only nonstick, but it’s also designed to replace eight traditional pieces of cookware....

Hannah Aspden’s coach at Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina, doles out a lot of life lessons and mottos to his swimmers in catchy phrases. “Embrace the chaos” is one. That means that life is inherently messy and unpredictable, and it’s best to just be open to the uncertainty that can often lead to unexpected joys and triumphs. Aspden’s favorite of all the sayings, though, is “Control what you can control....

If there’s one thing that hasn’t come to a screeching halt amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s household wear and tear. We probably don’t need to tell you that having the whole family at home all the time—cooking, cleaning, using the bathrooms—can do a number on a house’s infrastructure. And the fact that social distancing guidelines have handymen and maintenance workers limiting their house calls certainly doesn’t help matters. So, what’s a homeowner to do?...

There’s nothing in life that can’t be made a little bit happier with a warm cookie: a stressful day, a fun day, and definitely a so-so day. It’s really as simple as that. What type of cookie you make is up for deliberation, and we’ve got plenty of inspiration, from our chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies to Laura Bush’s reader-favorite Cowboy Cookies to our ultra-decadent Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookies. We don’t turn our noses up at store-bought dough, either....

Never leave the grocery store without three things: bread, milk, and break-and-bake cookies. That’s our motto at least. For last-minute guests, a Wednesday-night treat, or countless other sugar-fueled opportunities, nothing can quite hold a candle to a piping hot batch of break-and-bake cookies. They’re melty, gooey, and comforting goodness by the handful, and all you need is literal seconds to get them on the sheet pan before your work is done....

It can be a struggle to find the right paint for a room, much less a dark one that has limited, or even no natural light. While it’s tempting to try and brighten things up with a pale neutral, here’s the consensus among interior designers: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. “Contrary to popular belief, pale colors will not enhance a dark space,” states Amy Kummer of Amy Kummer Interiors in Houston, Texas....

As the coronavirus pandemic leaves so many Americans in a state of panic, many organizations are stepping up to do what they can to help. From delivering free food to the elderly in Nashville to museums offering virtual tours, a growing number of companies and non-profits are working overtime to help keep Americans safe and making the most of this difficult situation. Now, we’ve learned of one of many companies that is coming to the aid of college students—a group uniquely impacted by this crisis as many have to evacuate their dorms or rentals—across the country....

You are snuggled on the couch, relaxing and watching your favorite Netflix show, and who is curled up right next to you with their head on your lap? None other than your canine companion, we imagine. If you’re lucky enough to have a pet that likes to cuddle, there’s nothing better for dog owners than nestling in at night with their pup. But have you ever had questions about why dogs like to cuddle so much?...

If your home is anything like ours, your number one cleaning enemy is dust (OK, and pet hair and dishes and laundry too). Dust. It’s made up of plant pollen, human and animal hairs, textile fibers, paper fibers, soil, human skin cells, burnt meteorite particles and more, and it is everywhere. It’s just a fact of life. But some places, particularly those that are hard to reach and/or see, can become absolute magnets for the stuff....

Tanya Ragsdale and her friends love to give back. This Thanksgiving, for the second year in a row, they celebrated their good fortunes by treating an unsuspecting restaurant worker to an extra-large tip. After surprising a waitress at Cracker Barrel with a few hundred dollars last year, they set their sights on the local Waffle House. Early in the morning of November 19, Ragsdale and her friends sat down for breakfast at the Waffle House in Cullman, Alabama, for their second-annual “Friendsgiving” meal....

Apple cider vinegar has been on the radar of health and wellness warriors for decades, if not longer. Whether ingested or used as an ingredient in topicals ranging from skin care to hair care, it’s certainly buzz worthy, but it turns out there’s some clout to it too. Ready to jump aboard? Thanks to a one-day Prime deal, you can take full advantage of the wonder ingredient with the WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo & Hair Conditioner Set (TO SHOP: $19....

Insta captions are an opportunity to provide a nice touch. Unless you’re a foodie who snaps a photo of every meal (#phoneseatfirst), a fashionista who’s posting every OOD (Outfit Of the Day), or a photographer who chooses to share your gift with the world, chances are your Instagram is filled with pictures of your friends and family. You’ve got the perfect picture of you and your best friend—the lighting is beautiful, you’re wearing your favorite jeans, the moment is meaningful, the background is on point....

When sending out your holiday greetings, it’s essential to remember some etiquette tips. Whether you purchase a greeting card from a stationery store, craft them by hand during a DIY project, or design an online e-card, there are a few best practices for filling out your Christmas cards. These tips will help ensure your letters get to their recipients on time, free of mistakes, and with the warmest wishes written within the card....

Cruising is back. Now, the next time you want to let the bon temps rouler, you can do so at sea. Carnival Cruise Line brought a little slice of the French Quarter to its newest ship, fittingly named Mardi Gras. Back in 2019 when the ship’s moniker was first announced, NOLA.com noted that the name is “actually a throwback to Carnival’s very first cruise ship, which was given the same name back in 1972....

Sad news out of West Texas this week. Gary Gaines, coach of the high school football team that inspired Friday Night Lights, died Monday at the age of 73. Gaines’ family said in a statement that the legendary coach died in Lubbock after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. While he coached a number of teams over the course of three decades, Gaines is most known for his stint as the head coach of the football team at Odessa Permian High School in Odessa....

My mom always has an abundance of flowers on her deck and in her yard that grow and bloom all summer long. Several years ago, she had a blooming ornamental purslane plant that caught my eye and after learning what it was, I’ve been buying a few of them to plant in containers every summer since. The reason? They require almost zero effort to care for and yield beautiful flowers all summer long....

There’s nothing wrong with wearing imitation jewelry, but we want to know what we’re working with. Here are six ways to tell if your pearls are the real stuff, regardless of whether they’re passed-down or purchased. Look at their size and symmetry. They won’t be perfect. You should see slight variation between each pearl if they’re on a strand. While more expensive pearls will look perfectly round to the untrained eye, a top-notch professional will be able to spot a fake with a glance....

Some of our fondest memories take place in the fall. The season marks the start of the school year, tailgating and fall flavors we crave like pumpkin spice and apple pie. In most parts of the South, fall is also the time when we long to be outdoors. Summer’s high temperatures have finally mellowed before winter begins, making it the perfect time to take some excursions. We love looking at fall foliage and exploring different Southern cities, but something we make a point of doing every year is picking up a pumpkin....

About This Episode Tabitha Brown is an actress, motivational speaker, and cookbook author who has made a name for herself with inspiring online videos and her vegan spin on classic Southern dishes. She grew up near Eden, North Carolina, where she loved the outdoors and her grandmother’s amazing cakes, but she also dreamed of living in a big city and being on television. She eventually moved to California to pursue acting and had some success, but her journey to becoming a vegan is what made her a social media phenomenon....

Hold onto your pies, folks. This year was already expected to be below average for Texas pecan orchards, but experts say the weather has made the situation worse in some areas. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horticulturist Larry Stein, Ph.D., explained in a news release that pecan trees typically go through cyclical performance year to year. Last year’s crop was heavy, meaning most of the trees exhausted their resources which would typically bring a lighter yield for this year....