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Cracking an egg is one of the most basic things you do when baking. It may also be a task that entices a child’s interest in cooking; there are not too many opportunities to break something without getting into trouble. Once you start trying your hand at making cakes and pies for family dinners and church socials, you soon realize cracking eggs it isn’t all fun and games. Experienced chefs can crack, split and drop and egg yolk in a bowl with a couple of deft movements of one hand but, for the rest of us, it is often a messy affair....

Mosquitoes are annoying pests that can spread serious diseases. Instead of reaching for chemical sprays or bug zappers, some gardeners grow citronella plants to repel mosquitoes naturally. They crush the plants’ leaves and rub the citrusy-smelling oil onto their skin, or they grow them around their porches, patios, and yards. Notice we said, “repel” mosquitoes, not “kill” them. The oil can be effective when it’s extracted and concentrated in various products, but researchers say topical use won’t eliminate these pests....

Nearly two decades later, Jennifer Lopez and Texas state treasure Matthew McConaughey delighted fans by reminiscing about their iconic romantic comedy, The Wedding Planner. The exchange between the two A-listers, which took place on Twitter last week, began after Lopez shared a clip from the 2001 film for Throwback Thursday. In the clip, Lopez’s character Mary tells McConaughey’s Steve about her previous engagement and how she feels like she’s not “enough....

In this uncertain world, in what has been a very rough year, we can all count on one constant. Hallmark Christmas movies are the tonic to this toxic year for which we have all waited. Since the end of October, Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas lineups have been chock-full of soul soothing holiday fare. Over on HMM, this Saturday’s premiere is The Angel Tree starring Jill Wagner and Lucas Bryant....

We hear it all the time: The secret to younger-looking skin starts with sun protection. Why then, is it so hard for us to abide? Southern women know the answer. We’ve been trying to make a habit of SPF-wear, but the pilling, ashy cast, and drying formulas leave much to be desired. So we might skip it or go a little light-handed when we really should be slathering ourselves in the stuff—even for a walk around the block or a jaunt to the grocery store....

Despite evidence to the contrary, books still reign supreme in America. According to a recent Gallup poll, visiting the local library remains the most common cultural activity Americans engage in—by a landslide. “The average 10.5 trips to the library U.S. adults report taking in 2019 exceeds their participation in eight other common leisure activities,” Gallup reports. “Americans attend live music or theatrical events and visit national or historic parks roughly four times a year on average and visit museums and gambling casinos 2....

Spider lilies move around with us in the South. True pass-along plants, these hardy bulbs thrive in old gardens, yards, and cemeteries. Their show starts a few days after a good rain shower in midsummer through September. From bare ground, stalks burst through and unfurl their vibrant red show with curvy petals and stamens. As the flowers fade, narrow, green, straplike leaves with silver stripes emerge, persist all winter, and then disappear by spring....

Staff at a Chick-fil-A in Alcoa, Tennessee, are taking the high road after someone (or something!) ran off with the store’s sign this week. The restaurant, located at 1031 Hunters Crossing, took to Facebook with a plea for help finding the missing sign Monday. They went as far as to offer free Chick-fil-A for a year to whoever brings it back—no questions asked. In fact, it would probably be their pleasure....

In far, far West Texas, only one hour from the state line that crosses over to New Mexico, Amarillo is a city that embraces old and new. Serving as a midway point of the iconic Route 66 highway, Amarillo has long been a destination for those traversing on a road trip or visiting nearby landmarks in West Texas. The history-rich city is chock-full of cultural attractions, as well as outdoor pursuits that showcase the high plains and desert that make up the rugged region....

Every summer right as the July heat creeps its way into the end of June, Hanover tomatoes hit the shelves at local farmers’ markets and grocery stores in Central Virginia. For Virginians, this is the official indication of the start of summer. There’s nothing like sinking your teeth into a juicy tomato and mayo sandwich on a hot afternoon, and there’s no better tomato for that sandwich than Hanover-grown. The Hanover tomato gets its name from Hanover County, located slightly North of Richmond, Virginia, and just a quick 30-minute drive from where I grew up – thank goodness for that....

We’re well into soup season now, which means everyone is looking for new recipes. There are always the classics that we have committed to memory, but winter is long, and each year we look for new inspiration. After all the holiday baking, Southern Living fans are done searching for cookies and cakes and have turned to comfort classics, including soups. No matter where you’re located, the most searched soup recipes had one thing in common: Everyone wants something creamy....

If your kitchen cupboard is anything like mine, it is hard to keep the door closed with all the various cake pans tumbling out. There are cheesecake pans of varying sizes, which, fortunately, can be neatly stacked together like a set of Russian nesting eggs. There are the tube pans I use for the never-fail pound cakes, several 8-inch and 9-inch pans for those tall layer cakes I attempt for birthdays and holidays, and the 9-x13 pan with a sliding lid for what I call my “bake-and-take” cakes....

Ahead of a weekend trip with friends, when everyone is deciding what they’ll contribute to the fridge, I’m always first to volunteer to bring breakfast. Why? First of all, it’s easy to prepare and usually pretty affordable. My foolproof game plan is to buy some Sister Schubert’s (it can’t all be from-scratch, y’all), toss together a pretty fruit salad, and tack on a homemade egg casserole of some sort. Second, breakfast is always useful and appreciated....

It’s been a long road, but three months after she was injured in a bicycle accident, Amy Grant is finally back to performing. The Christian singer made her triumphant return to the stage this weekend, kicking off her Christmas tour with Michael W. Smith in Memphis, Tennessee, on Saturday. “After a season of healing at home, it was good to be back on stage with Michael W. Smith, Michael Tait, and my musical family,” Grant wrote on Instagram....

Presenting young women to society (and eligible bachelors) via a debutante ball is a tradition that has a centuries-long history. Despite the debut’s European roots, debutante balls are commonly associated with the South. And while the debs aren’t necessarily looking for suitable husbands when they’re presented, debutante balls are still a big deal in our region. If one day an invitation for a debutante ball ends up in your mailbox, you might wonder, “What do I wear to this thing?...

It’s like clockwork. As soon as summer’s heat is ushered out by a breath of fresh fall air, Southerners start thinking about road trips. Whether you’re dreaming of a quiet cabin in the woods, antiquing in a quaint town, leaf-peeping on a hike, or finding fresh apple cider doughnuts at a farm stand, it doesn’t get much better than a weekend trip to Franklin in Middle Tennessee. Franklin might be small compared to Nashville, its neighbor to the north, but it has developed a big reputation over the years....

Sing it from the rooftop: Zaxby’s delectable fried pickles are back. The much-loved fried pickles are back for a limited-time only at participating restaurants while supplies last, so you better get your pickle fix sooner rather than later. Customers can order the fried pickles from the Athens, Georgia, based fast food restaurant as a side dish or as an add-on to Zaxby’s Signature Sandwich. They retail for $3.99 per serving, but prices may vary by location....

When we say “lazy lawns” we don’t mean replacing your perfectly mowed grass with artificial emerald green turf. Rather, we mean it in the British sense, coming on the heels of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) declaring “lazy lawns” might just be the next big thing in gardening. In its predictions for 2021, the RHS opines that this year gardeners “will turn a blind eye to a bit of browning in summer” and perhaps even swap out grass in favor of embracing “lazy” fuss-free groundcovers....

Everybody has his or her own unique pre-bedtime ritual. But when it comes to maximizing quality shuteye, it’s the people who prefer their bedrooms on the chilly side that actually have it all figured out. According to a HuffPost article written by Dr. Christopher Winter, Medical Director at Charlottesville Neurology & Sleep Medicine, it’s room temperature—not blackout curtains or reading a chapter of a book—that can be the difference between a sound and fitful night of sleep....

Even though Amy Grant wasn’t able to attend the taping of the CMT Giants tribute to Vince Gill last week, the “Baby, Baby” singer contributed to the star-studded broadcast with an emotional pre-taped message for her husband. “Hey my love,” Grant began. “I’m so glad I get to add a couple of words to this night full of voices of people celebrating you and celebrating so much good talent in this town....