An endlessly versatile bechamel-style white sauce for everything from lasagna to fondue and fried chicken. This makes it a great base sauce for savory gravy or a dipping sauce. From fondue to fried chicken, lasagna topasta Alfredoyoull want to have this sauce in your back pocket! Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall This is a great version of a classic white sauce. Here’s what you’ll need: What Is The Difference Between White Sauce and Bechamel Sauce?...

If you want to attract hummers by the droves, this easy-growing plant will do the trick. Want to makehummingbirdssee red? Plant a firebush in your garden. It’s drought tolerant but doesn’t mind regular water or even occasional wet feet. It is perfectly happy in alkaline soils but also fine in acid ones. Full sun will keep it happy and blooming, but so will a fair amount of shade. Firebush makes a great,fast-flowering annualshrub for borders or containers in the Middle and Upper South....

With fine, feathery foliage, youll hardly recognize this exquisite mahonia. SOUTHERN LIVING PLANT COLLECTION / Mark Sandlin Mahonias are statelyshrubsbeloved for their easy care and adaptability. Despite its delicate appearance, ‘Soft Caress’ mahonia is as rugged as its coarser-leaved cousins. Credit:SOUTHERN LIVING PLANT COLLECTION / Mark Sandlin Plants tolerate heat and drought as well as poor soil, provided they have good drainage. Many mahonias bloom earlier in Southern gardens, and ‘Soft Caress’ is no exception....

Here’s how to experience Boca Raton like a local. It is accessible to beginners while providing plenty to see for experienced snorkelers. It allows for easy underwater exploration amongst vibrant marine life like parrotfish, friendly reef sharks, and more. Credit:City of Boca Raton The museum also houses The Art School, where visitors can enjoy family activities and art classes. Take a self-guided tour to see it all. Tours are available in addition to theater shows, cabaret, and dining....

Here are the essential fall landscaping tasks to take care of this season. With summer cooling off and winter just off the horizon, fall is a critical time forlawn care. So, forget what you thought you knew. Credit: Dane Tashima; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper Stick to our fall lawn care checklist for a well-sustained lawn to last through winter and flourish come spring. Keep in mind that depending on where you live and your climate, your lawn’s needs may shift....

Take a cue from Mother Nature with this loosely planted display of cosmos. Cosmos come in various colors, from burgundy to pink to white. Mix them up for a more natural look, like a wildflower meadow. Credit: Laurey W. Glenn Bonus: this colorful flower, native to tropical America, attracts birds andbutterflieswith its cheery blooms. Because of their wildflower characteristics, cosmo flowers are considered invasive in some environments. Light A true summer flower, the cosmos thrive in full sunlightat least eight hours daily....

Bring rich color, velvety texture, and delicious fragrance to the garden with this captivating perennial. Getty Images Looking for something unusual to grow in the garden? Look no further than chocolate cosmos, a tuberousperennialwith velvety blooms and a decadent fragrance. Credit:Getty Images Chocolate Cosmos Care Chocolate cosmos are native to Mexico and thrive in sunshine and warm soil. They are fairly drought tolerant once established and dont require much pampering....

is an experience to be endured for the briefest possible period. “Our time there taught us a lot of lessonsin organization, for one,” Winslett jokes. We love being together." Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elizabeth Demos See how this tight-knit family found their perfect home fit. There are two brick steps all the way around. “We wanted our home to feel accessible,” she says. Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elizabeth Demos...

Jamie and Russell Braden never expected to find the happiness they now share. Jamie had gone through a difficult first marriage and was busy solo parenting three kids. Russell thought his days of romance and parenting were behind him. Credit: Alison Gootee; Styling: Matthew Gleason And then they fell in love. The pair got married, and Russell adopted Jamie’s children, Abby, Gracie, and Carson. They had a home in anice area of Houston,but their neighborhood wasn’t a cozy one....

Some artists find inspiration in a muse, while others find it in a perfect canvas. “We’re just surrounded by nature. It couldn’t be more serene.” Credit: Max Kim-Bee; Styling: Lydia Pursell But for the Jaakkolas and their two daughters, outdoor assets were only half the attraction. For Jaakkola, these imperfections were badges to be embraced. The result is a laid-back Lowcountry retreat dripping with character. Credit: Max Kim-Bee; Styling: Lydia Pursell...

A pair of restaurateurs invite old and new friends to gather for a supper that honors the land. It wasnt just rain, says Alkassar, who recalls the sudden downpour with a hearty laugh. Our staff was drenched, and the guests were drenched. Credit:Peter Frank Edwards The band was super wet. We were like, Its the Titanic. Alkassar remembers making the rounds apologizing to patrons. Credit:Peter Frank Edwards To his surprise, folks voiced their encouragement rather than complaints....

We tried one of the most-searched recipes on the Barefoot Contessa website. While the ever-breezy Garten has a way of making things look effortless, that wasntexactlythe case for me. Id be lying if I said that my first crack at this was a complete success. Credit:Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images But it was so delicious that Ill be making it again very soon. Only this time I wont make the same mistake, and, thanks to me, neither will you....

An impressive flag cake will be the centerpiece of a patriotic party. The cake and frosting both taste vanilla-rich, and the frosting is creamy and buttery. Ingredients Cake: 2 1/2cupsall-purpose flour(10 5/8 oz.) Credit:Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox 1/4cupmilk 1/2tsp.tablesalt Topping: 1/2cupblueberries 3cupsraspberries Directions Prepare baking pan: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13 x 9inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over edges of pan....