We’re all looking for a little calm and comfort after the chaos of the holidays, and what better way to be comforted than with a heaping bowl of homemade chicken and dumplings? Try our easy recipe for the soul-warming Southern classic below:   3–4 cups baked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces 2 32 oz. boxes chicken broth 1 small onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, sliced thin 2 carrots, sliced thin 2 cups water 1 Tbsp. chicken Better Than Bouillon base ½ tsp. poultry seasoning Salt and pepper to taste   Put carrots, celery, and onion in a large stock pot with water, bring to a boil, a ..read more

I didn’t begin my baking journey with the idea that I would someday make a career out of it. In fact, I’m not a pastry chef; I’ve never been to pastry or culinary school. I simply started with a love for baking, often reminiscing about the times my mother and I would spend in the kitchen baking pound cakes together when I was a young teen. I can probably count those occasions on one hand, but since Momma passed away quite some time ago, I’ve learned to cherish each and every one of those few moments we had together. Far before my cake career began, my love for baking often drove me to at ..read more

Photography by Amanda Duke Sweet Kaki is serving up slices all over town, and the only thing sweeter than her pies is her giving nature. Otherwise known as Caroline Bowen—at least, that’s the name her mama gave her—Kaki, a nickname given to her by her younger brother, is building an empire around sugar and spice. Originally from Darlington, a sweet little town in South Carolina, Kaki grew up with her mother cooking every meal. “My mother was the best cook ever, and we didn’t go out to eat. We sat around the old oak table for a hot meal, and there was always a dessert. You didn’t want to mi ..read more

Mica Roberts might not be a household name, but we’re almost positive you’ve heard her voice before… She’s been singing alongside Toby Keith as his right-hand girl for almost 20 years, accompanying him in the studio and on the road. “I don’t ever remember there being a time when I wasn’t singing,” she says, mentioning the cassettes she has of herself singing hymns when she was two and three years old. “I think that—as long as I’ve been in this business—it has to be who you are and not what you do. When people ask how long I’ve been singing, I say, ‘Since I was who I am,’ you know? It is who ..read more

It starts with a stitch, then a chain, then a row. In the small town of Duffield in southwestern Virginia, Rebekah Polder is creating some of the most luxurious and beautiful handmade throws and layette items we’ve seen. The entire Polder family is committed to craftsmanship, and Rebekah is no exception. She helps her family run two businesses: her own brand, The Handcrafted Home, and the family’s collective brand, Polders Old World Market. There’s a lot that goes into running multiple businesses, but with 12 siblings in the family from ages seven to 34, there are a lot of helping hands. “We ..read more

Sixty miles north of Atlanta, outside the small town of Adairsville, Annette Thurmon and her husband, Jared, started Azure Farm to embrace slowing down to enjoy the simple things in life and getting back to the basics. The homestead—home to several charismatic alpacas, a mixed flock of fowl, cats, and donkeys—has given the family a sense of peace and a perfect place to raise a family outside the bustle of city life. One of Annette’s passions is creating and sharing garden-to-table vegan recipes that anyone can incorporate into their meal planning. She’s co-written several cookbooks that are ..read more

Named after her mother, Dottie, who was incredibly talented in her crafts, Dottie’s Designs is Rhonda’s business that specializes in custom embroidery and one-of-a-kind gifts. After caring for her father and grandmother, Rhonda also took care of her mother during the final stages of Alzheimer’s until she recently passed away. Giving a portion of all proceeds to one of the two charities, Rhonda loves being able to make a difference. Hero Rescue helps dogs in need find forever homes. She is currently fostering a tiny chihuahua who initially needed medical attention but is now ready for a famil ..read more

If you’re in the market for a new internet best friend, Mary Katherine Backstrom is your girl. She’s real, she’s honest, and she’s unapologetically messy. Those moments in life we all have when we’ve spilled something on our shirt before a meeting, or accidentally ordered the wrong thing from Amazon, or our zippered purse rips our dress up the front in the middle of the store… She’s accomplished all those things and shares them regularly, hilariously, with hundreds of thousands daily, live online. Mary Katherine has made a whole career of being relatable on social media. And the Alabama-born ..read more

Living in Fayette or Coweta County, Georgia, chances are high that your life has been touched in one way or another by The Walking Dead. It’s also possible that over the past decade of the show filming in the area, you’ve run into one of the cast members (lucky you!) while out getting your coffee or even buying dog food at the pet store. It’s even more likely that you’ve crossed paths with a crew member and didn’t even know it. Julia Hobgood, who’s been an associate producer on the show since 2018 and assisting for years before that, is one of those people. She’s been loving life in Fayette ..read more

Create your own backyard sanctuary with surprise treasures around every turn. Our gardening contributor, Bonnie Helander, shares ideas from her secret garden to help you create your own peaceful oasis. Create the hidden, secret garden look by enclosing the space with hedges or walls to lead people down a pathway, up steps, or through an arbor or gate. Plant a succession of blooming plants for each season. Include plants with interesting foliage or fragrance for the visitor to “stop and smell the roses.” Similar to a hydrangea, these snowball viburnums make a beautiful backdrop for Bonnie ..read more