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In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, an empty Tulane University opened its doors to the men and women working around the clock to help New Orleans recover. The massive power outage that plunged the city into darkness for more than a week brought thousands of linemen and contractors to the already overwhelmed area. With students gone, Tulane administrators saw an opportunity to contribute to the recovery efforts with hot meals....

You may have heard the name in a common expression (“to stick in one’s gizzard”) or you may have found them wrapped tidily in a little package along with other poultry organs. But, what the heck are chicken gizzards?! What Are Chicken Gizzards Essentially, chicken gizzards are the stomach of a chicken (or any other fowl—and surprisingly all reptiles!). Since birds don’t have teeth, they need a way to grind up food before it enters their digestive tract....

Is there anything worse than spending hours baking, following the recipe exactly, only for the baked good to get stuck to the pan? You’ve tried butter and flour, shortening and flour, or parchment paper, but the key to perfect baked goods is hiding in the grocery store aisle. Baker’s Joy is a nonstick cooking spray for all types of baking pans and it ensures your next cake, brownie, or banana bread comes out cleanly....

As someone who moves often, I try to keep my possessions to a minimum. In the kitchen, that means beyond my trusty red KitchenAid, Gertrude, and a small handful of essential cooking and baking tools (a Bundt pan, candy thermometer, scale, and wooden spoon that looks more like a shovel among them), I like to keep it simple. After all, there’s only so much that I can squeeze into a tiny car....

The South holds its own in terms of small towns packing more than their weight in charm—but Helen, Georgia, really hammers that point home. With around 550 residents and only 2.1 square miles, it’s undoubtedly tiny. But the steeply pitched roofs, quaint cross-gables, and colorful half-timbering make the authentic Bavarian village enchanting. It looks straight out of our fairytale dreams but sits quite close to home in the mountains of Georgia....

We rely on our refrigerators to keep our food fresh, our beverages perfectly chilled, and our kitchens fully functional. But in spite of the fridge’s undeniable importance, many of us cut corners and take shortcuts when it comes to cleaning out this appliance. While a simple wipe-down with a damp paper towel might suffice for small spills and day-to-day maintenance, your refrigerator (and the food that you store within) deserves a full-scale, thorough clean-out from time to time....

Air drying hair in the summer may offer a brief reprieve from the sweltering heat, but air drying hair in the winter isn’t such an enjoyable experience (wet and cold don’t typically mesh well). To combat this chilly situation, you can blow dry your strands if you have the time and patience, or you can wrap your hair up in a towel. While standard bath towels are often too large, heavy, and coarse to effectively dry your hair, you can invest in a microfiber hair towel specifically designed to soak up moisture without causing damage to your locks....

Armadillos, the armored mammals most often associated with Texas, are moving northward into North and South Carolina. Over the past 15 years, the species that originated in South America has been expanding its range. Armadillos have been spotted as far north as Missouri, Iowa, and even Nebraska. But they’ve really taken a liking to the Carolinas, where homeowners in some areas describe them as a “nuisance,” thanks in large part to their penchant for digging....

I was always very creative as a child," says painter and mixed-media artist Marianne Angeli Rodriguez (@marianneangelirodriguez). “My first dedication to making art was for my dad, who traveled a lot for work. I would give him a handmade card every time he left home to say just how much I loved and would miss him.” While her fondness for creativity remained a constant through her family’s intercontinental moves, Marianne’s journey to becoming a professional artist took several detours....

You’re a Southerner. We’re going to go out on a limb and guess you like sweet tea. And lemonade. Maybe you sometimes even buy that delightful combination of sweet tea and lemonade when you order from Chick-fil-A. If you do, you’re certainly in good company, as the mixing of these two beverages is a popular move at the fast food chain. (Another great off-menu beverage choice? A Frosted Soda.) Well, the Chick has finally read our minds: they’ve added this superb beverage to their menu, and even come up with a catchy new name for it, “Sunjoy....

The Grumpy Gardner just gained an important ally in his war against the Bradford pear tree. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is hosting a Bradford Pear Bounty next month, giving area property owners the chance to trade in their smelly, invasive trees for young, native trees free of charge. The ubiquitous tree our taciturn gardening expert lovingly refers to as “tuna on a trunk,” only has one desirable quality: its white flowers....

When planning a weekend getaway in Virginia, you will find no shortage of vineyard options. The state houses almost 300 wineries, accessible via dozens of possible routes. One of the most popular routes is the Monticello Wine Trail, which strings together 30 wineries in central Virginia (the picturesque drive alone attracts visitors from across the country). Settling on just a few destinations along this Blue Ridge route can prove challenging, but one spot not to miss is Glass House Winery, a boutique winery in Free Union set just 30 minutes outside Charlottesville....

As soon as we met Maddie, Dana Sue, Helen, and the rest of the characters of Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias, based on the 11-book Sweet Magnolias collection from author Sherryl Woods, we knew we’d be plopped down on our couch for quite some time. Now that we’ve finished season one of the hit series (and are patiently waiting for official news of another season), we’re eager to dig deeper into all things Sherryl Woods....

If you’re all about efficiency or struggle with spatial relations (or both!), this fancy not-so-little doodad is for you. Among the festive decorations in Chip and Joanna Gaines’ latest Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection for Target you’ll find a whole section dedicated to holiday cookie making and decorating. Though both the cookie stamps and the textured rolling pin made their way into our virtual shopping cart, it was the giant pewter cookie cutter that really got us excited for holiday baking....

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as snacking on freshly baked cookies. The scent, the texture, and the flavor—all incredible straight out of the oven. But what if you baked too many cookies, or you’re hoping to bake dozens ahead of time so you can have treats on hand whenever a craving strikes? Once they’re baked, most cookies freeze very well. This can be especially if you’re trying to prep cookies for Christmas, a bake sale, or a big party....

If there is one thing in this life that we know to be true, it’s that chocolate makes everything better. From holidays to heartbreaks, chocolate has always been there for us. It’s one flavor that we adored as children and, over the years, have only grown to love more. If we’re short on time but still want to make a special dessert, chocolate is the answer to our prayers. No, we’re not talking about a store-bought box of truffles (though we’ll admit, Russell Stover holds a special place in our hearts)....

Jennifer Garner celebrated her 50th birthday on Sunday. But according to a recent Instagram post, the festivities began a few days early with a little help from her former teen heartthrob, Donny Osmond. In a video Garner shared Friday, the 13 Going on 30 star can be seen sitting at a restaurant and looking shocked as she watches a personalized birthday message from the crooner on a phone. But the exciting moment was just getting started....

It’s the season of giving. And perhaps more this year than any other, finding ways to bring joy to those around us seems like an important part of the holiday. But if you don’t know where to start, perhaps Jennifer Riser’s story will give you some ideas. The Senior Research Scientist at the global chemical company Kemira and mom of two teen girls has a long running tradition in her family that she calls “25 Days of Giving”....

This Sunday, February 5, music’s best from all genres will gather for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. While some musicians are being recognized for the very first time, there are also some music veterans in this year’s nominee pool. Among those veterans there are two queens of country music and they are nominated together. Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton are nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their version of “Does He Love You....

There’s a toxic coastal plant you need to know about, and it’s called the manchineel tree. You may have seen one during your travels—it’s often accompanied by cautionary signs and a bright red band painted around its trunk as a warning to all who pass by. While not all manchineel trees are so painted, they require a fervent advisory, because they are one of the most dangerous plant species around....