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Using store-bought frosting isn’t always the plan. It can come about as a result of trying your hand at some ornate buttercream to top your towering layer cake or batch of cupcakes, until time or any number of kitchen catastrophes leave you reaching into the pantry for a tub of ready-made. In that case, you’re going to want to pick the best store-bought option at the grocery store. We did the hard work of taste-testing a group of six popular frostings to determine which hit the balance of sweet, vanilla-flavor, with just the right homemade-inspired texture....

It’s easy to fall in love with this place. Beaufort (pronounced BOW-furt) is planted on the outermost reach of North Carolina’s southern coast. Century-old cottages frosted with white gingerbread woodwork dot sleepy, oak-shaded streets, which crawl down to the water in a tidy grid. This former fishing village is relaxed and low-key, but it welcomes newcomers with exuberant hospitality. People smile and say hello here; they’ll stop mid-task to ask passersby how they’re doing....

Festivals — whether they be food, wine, music, or art — are perfect ways to build a bit of learning and considerable dose of fun into a few days. And when those festivals pop up along the white sands and turquoise waters of Florida’s Gulf Coast, the whole thing just gets better and better. Get a dose of sun, sand, and play at these ten great festivals. SarasotaMOD Weekend, Sarasota...

When it comes to fruits, vegetables, and other grocery items, it can be our first instinct to store everything in the refrigerator to try to keep them fresh for as long as possible. While there are some foods you should always refrigerate, such as carrots, berries, and most cheeses, it’s not a one-size-fits-all rule. Turns out, the cold temperature and humidity of the fridge can have a negative effect on some fresh produce and grocery products....

Petite kitchens definitely have their perks: they clean up quick, and you have everything you need within arms reach. You won’t feel like you’ve sprinted all over an industrial restaurant-style kitchen after preparing one bowl of scrambled eggs. There’s also a reason folks build out gigantic, sprawling kitchens when the opportunity presents itself. But fear not, even in the tiniest of cooking zones, there can be a space for everything. Here are a few things to ditch to make room for the real necessities....

This year calls for an extra festive holiday season. With apologies to Santa, this means ditching the milk and enjoying those sugar cookies with sparkling wine. Desserts are usually paired with sweet wine, or maybe coffee, but they deserve better. A thoughtful pairing can make them all the more enjoyable—although, we’re not sure that even a wine pairing can save that fruit cake, sorry. To make the most of our favorite Christmas sweets, we spoke with Chattanooga chef Erik Niel....

A server at a Waffle House in Greensboro, North Carolina, was shocked by the kind words and generosity of an anonymous country singer last month. Shirell “Honey” Lackey shared the interaction on Facebook along with a photo of the receipt boasting a staggering $1,000 tip on an $11.99 meal. “A country music star just came in the restaurant and tipped me $1,000 gave me two tickets to his next show and got my address to send the baby diapers clothes etc....

Miracle-Gro just released the tote bag you’ll want for summer as it can both carry your farmer’s market haul and help your neighbors at the same time. The GroMoreGood Harvest Donation Bag ($5.50) was designed to inspire families to share their extra edible garden bounty with their loved ones and community members in need, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting nonprofit No Kid Hungry. Each bag purchased can help give up to 20 meals for children suffering from food insecurity....

Last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced 22 animals and one plant should be declared extinct and removed from the endangered species list. Among the species is the exceptionally rare Bachman’s warbler, a small, yellow-breasted songbird that once migrated between the swampy forests of the Southeastern U.S. and Cuba. First identified in Charleston in the 1830s, the last confirmed sighting of the Bachman’s warbler anywhere in the U....

As far as Southern food debates go, the one about whether butter beans and lima beans are the same thing generates only slightly less vehement arguing than whether sugar belongs in cornbread (it doesn’t) or if it’s ever acceptable to use instant custard mix for banana pudding (absolutely not). Yet the bean argument does arise, with people swearing fiercely by their belief, one way or another. You’ll see them labeled in different ways in the store, after all: frozen lima beans, canned butter beans, dried large limas—or is it dried large butter beans?...

In unprecedented times, even Christmas decor gets an unlikely makeover. This Old Saint Nick ornament wearing a mask is officially a sign of the times, marking a moment in history that lives on through commemorative decor that will hang on our trees for years to come. The Washington state-based purveyor of blown-glass ornaments, Old World Christmas, offers a selection of cheery and cheeky decor. Some pandemic-related ornaments included a glittery roll of toilet paper, a sparkling bottle of hand sanitizer, and a mask-wearing Santa Claus....

When it comes to holiday baking, we know to stock up on our tried-and-true favorite spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. But it pays to take a fresh look around to see what else is could bring out the best in our homemade treats. A few well-chosen spice blends can make quick work of adding bursts of flavor, not to mention lesser-known single spices that deserve a spot in our spice cabinet....

In 2016, Linda Durrence experienced unspeakable tragedy when her eldest daughter died in a car crash at the age of 27. Six years later, the Georgia mom is turning the darkness of loss into a light helping others through Blossom, a boutique store providing free clothing to children in need. The idea for Blossom came to Linda many years ago. After experiencing the loss of their daughter, the Durrences moved to Glennville, Georgia, and started attending a local church....

Given the daunting amount of time and effort required to make a homemade batch of cinnamon rolls, it’s never frowned upon to use the tubes of dough that you can find at the grocery store. No matter the origin, cinnamon rolls make a warm, comforting breakfast, especially on special occasions, when company is in town, or as a fun Saturday-morning treat. However, you can easily gussy up store-bought cinnamon rolls with one simple ingredient and a slight change to the baking process....

With Mama and Betty Crocker on our side, it’s hard to imagine making any sugar cookie, gingersnap, or peanut butter blossom that doesn’t result in a standing ovation around the dessert table. At Christmas time, we’re making dozens of cookies to share with our friends, neighbors, and even postman. When spring rolls around, we’re busy baking up a storm for baby showers, luncheons, and church potlucks. Cookies are one of our favorite treats to whip up on the weekend, because just one batch of the recipe goes a long way....

Who makes a better hostess than a Southern woman? Trick question! Y’all know the answer is no one. They always make you feel right at home, keep your favorite drink stocked, and put together the most beautiful tablescapes. Just as sugar is a key ingredient of sweet tea, dishes are essential to entertaining. And with a fresh plate for every course, you need a lot of them. We tapped tablescape pros for their best tips on how to mix, match, and stack dinnerware to help make your next dinner party a success....

In case you haven’t noticed, Brussels sprouts are really popular right now, especially since more and more people have figured out how to properly prepare them. Once maligned as being the cute but stinky little cousin of the cabbage, Brussels sprouts were simply boiled to a near mush and drowned in butter. No more! Just like other cabbages and green leafy vegetables these small green sprouts can be used raw in salads or slaws, prepared in the slow cooker, and roasted alongside other hearty vegetables....

With its buttery crust and rich, eggy filling loaded with crumbled bacon and tangy Swiss cheese, Quiche Lorraine is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any meal of the day. And there’s a simple way to make this classic quiche (or any type of quiche) downright heavenly. Most people tend to focus on the crust when they talk about quiche. And while a flaky, buttery crust is important, the filling is really the star—especially in Quiche Lorraine....

While every woman may have slightly different must-haves in her makeup bag, we’re here to say an eyelash curler should make the cut. Inexpensive and portable with powerful impact, eyelash curlers are one of the easiest ways to brighten your eyes and bring drama to your lashes. Whether you’re a seasoned makeup lover or new to the curling scene, there may be a few things you don’t realize you’re doing wrong when it comes to clamping down around your eyes....

Jenna Bush Hager’s Texas ranch wedding almost didn’t happen. During a segment on Today with Hoda and Jenna, the former first daughter revealed that her father, president George W. Bush, wanted her to elope instead of planning a big wedding during his second term in office. “My dad wanted us to elope because it was a pain,” Jenna told her friend and co-anchor Hoda Kotb. “He was like, ‘What are y’all doing?...