Blog Posts by Southern Living

Award-winning Charleston chef Mike Lata proves it's never too chilly for a party, especially with oysters at their peak. We'll tell you everything you need to know-from roasting to recipes-to host your own.

More Seasonal Favorites from Southern Living:

How-To Shuck an Oyster

Creamy Potato and Seafood Chowder Recipes

Satisfying Soups & Stews

Gulf Update: Almost a year after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the obvious question, in the eyes of most consumers, remains: Are Gulf oysters safe to eat? The answer is yes! "Very little of the Gulf oyster grounds ever saw oil. Ninety percent of the closures were precautionary," says Mike Voisin, owner of Motivatit Seafood in Houma, Louisiana, and a member of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. "There have been no signs of oysters, specifically, and seafood, in general, taking up PAHs due to the oil spill." (PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are naturally found in crude oil and are the most common contaminants

Make meal planning (and clean-up!) easy by preparing one of these tasty one-dish entrées for supper tonight.

More Quick Supper Ideas from Southern Living:

20-Minute Suppers

Pantry Shortcuts from the Test Kitchens

Shortcut Chicken Favorites

It's really easy to make these super-fast, eye-catching starters without breaking the bank. Start with quality ingredients, and add pizzazz with a few flavor stir-ins and great presentation ideas. Read on to find your secret plan to wow your guests this season.

More Holiday Appetizers from Southern Living:

Festive Holiday Appetizers

Spicy Cheddar Cheese Straws

Quick & Easy Appetizers

Southern Living Sugar and Spice CakeSave time by transforming a mix into a festive holiday cake. These cake mix cake recipes are so good, no one will guess they're not made from scratch.

Over the years, our readers have shared hundreds of delicious Christmas cake recipes that start with a cake mix. You'll find their secrets for adding made-from-scratch flavor in these cake mix cake recipes. Some replace water with buttermilk; others call for softened butter or cream cheese. From mile-high layer cakes to quick and easy coffee cakes, each is super moist and delicious.

Related: Showstopping Christmas Cakes

Sugar-and-Spice Cake (pictured left)
Ingredients you may already have on hand dress up the white cake mix used to make spice cake spread with Vanilla Buttercream.
See Recipe: Sugar-and-Spice Cake
Southern Living Blackberry-Raspberry Truffle Cake
Related: 8 Cookies to Swap

Blackberry-Raspberry Truffle Cake (pictured right)
A lavish amount of semisweet chocolate and sour cream give rise to these luscious cake layers. No one will ever guess the recipe begins with a mix.

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Allison Banks

Almonds are packed full of goodness for your body. Here are 5 ways Almonds can make you healthier right now.

Don't Miss: Tasty Almond Recipes

1. They help you lose weight.
Studies show people who eat a serving of almonds at least twice a week are less likely to gain weight. Almonds are high in calories, though; stick to no more than 1⁄3 cup-a small handful-each day. Pick whole, roasted almonds. (Sugar-coated almonds are not a super food.)

2. They provide a natural beauty boost.
Almonds are high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that fights the effects of sun and environmental pollutants. Beauty products enriched with almond oil soften skin. To add luster to your hair, massage a few drops of almond oil into your scalp, let sit for 15 minutes, rinse, and voilà-shiny locks!

3. They lower your risk of heart disease.
Almonds are high in monounsaturated ("good") fats, which help lower cholesterol. By adding almonds to a low-fat diet, you can reduce your

These Thanksgiving dessert recipes are so impressive your guests will never know you didn't spend hours preparing them in the kitchen. Most can be made-ahead to give you more time to enjoy friends and family on Thanksgiving day.

Don't Miss:

Golden Caramel Dessert Recipes

Delightful Pecan Dessert Recipes

Wickedly Delicious Chocolate Desserts

Chia Pet, Garden Gnome, Belly Dancer and more! Our staff and readers dressed up 100+ pets in Halloween costumes (behind-the-scenes video). You can join in the fun-submit a photo of your pet in costume for a chance to win our Halloween pet costume contest.

We've got dinnertime covered every night of the week with flavor-packed entrees plus fast, fresh sides to match. Find 7 of our favorite slow cooker recipes here and go to SouthernLiving.com for even more slow cooker recipes and quick and easy supper ideas.

Recipes:

Italian Pot Roast, King Ranch Chicken, Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes, Slow Cooker Beef Tacos, Slow Cooker Turkey Chili, Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork, Chalupa Dinner Nacho Bowls