5 Things I Learned About Cleaning from My German Mom — Mom Knows Best

I grew up in a pristine home. I don’t mean to say that it was fancy — it wasn’t — but it was spotless from the fan blades down to the baseboards. This was no easy feat, considering our house was a century old and so had the unique ability to create dust after you had just wiped down that surface (whatever that surface happened to be).

Even still, those ugly faux-brick linoleum kitchen floors (and the blonde wood that later replaced them) were literally clean enough to eat off of — and that was all thanks to my German mother.

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The 10 Commandments of Southern Entertaining — Derby Day

I think we can all agree that Southerners know a thing or two about entertaining. Whether they’re throwing a backyard crawfish boil or a sophisticated porch party, you can almost guarantee it’s going to be a good time. And with Derby Day coming up this weekend, we thought it was a good time to find out what it is that makes to-dos so special below the Mason-Dixon.

We tapped the editors of Garden & Gun magazine, that gorgeous ode to all things Southern, for their top 10 rules of entertaining.

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Recipe: Mango Chicken Breakfast Sausage — Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes from Heather Christo

Last year I spent a glorious week in Hawaii with my family, complete with a rather deluxe breakfast buffet. My husband was totally in heaven, but I typically find your average breakfast buffet a bit of a minefield. Given our allergies, I have to gently guide my daughters and myself past the sticky buns (gah!) and the bagel bar (sigh … ) as well as the line for the fluffy custom-made omelets. I’m not sure about you, but I need protein with my morning breakfast or I will be a shaking mess come noon, with snacks hanging from my every pocket.

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My 3 Boundaries for Bringing Home Baby — Motherhood Meditations

In honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday, and the conversations happening around the brunch table for mothers now and future, we asked one of our favorite bloggers, LaTonya Yvette, to bring us a few meditations on what she has learned about life, love, and happiness through motherhood. — Faith

Each time I’ve brought a baby home after birth it’s been different. The sounds, the air, the way my body acclimated — everything. You would think by my first statement that I’ve had about five of them; but no, only two.

But somehow, my two children have been just enough to teach me the vast difference in what I should and shouldn’t do and who I think I am and want to be. More importantly, they’ve taught me about boundaries.

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5 Rules of Tex-Mex, According to The Homesick Texan — Don’t Mess with Tex-Mex

Lisa Fain, aka The Homesick Texan

What’s not to love about Tex-Mex? The Lone Star State’s take on comfort food is saucy, cheesy, and all-around awesome — even if it is sometimes misunderstood. To help clear up what real Tex-Mex is and how to guarantee Tex-Mex success in your home kitchen, we reached out to Lisa Fain, aka The Homesick Texan.

The two-time cookbook author and James Beard Award-winning blogger is a seventh-generation Texan (even if she does call New York home) and expert on all things Tex-Mex. Here is what she had to say about this delicious, all-American cuisine.

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failproof crêpes + a crêpe party

failproof crêpes + a crêpe party

I know what most people think of crêpes — they’re difficult, they require planning ahead, they’re fussy (coughFrench), they rip easily, the first one always goes in the trash — but I respectfully disagree, especially about that last bit (it goes in the nearest mouth). In fact, I think think that a great big stack of crêpes and a few easy fixings are the best thing that can happen to brunch. Hear me out:

what you'll need
everything in

  1. The batter takes 120 seconds to assemble (including the 30 to melt the butter in the microwave).
  2. You can prepare the batter 1 hour or 4 days before you need it; it doesn’t mind rushing or neglect.
  3. Cooked crêpes are basically magic — you can stack them hot or cold, they don’t stick to each other. It’s like some sort of pancake voodoo.
  4. They reheat like a charm so don’t you dare spend the morning frying crêpes. Make them all the day before and be amazed that the difference once rewarmed is undetectable.
  5. Some people like Nutella and berries with breakfast, other people like ham and cheese. Crêpes are the ideal foundation for both.
  6. The vast majority of things that taste good on crêpes require little more prep than chopping, if that — fruit or jam, cheese, dollops of ricotta or yogurt or cured meats. These, too, are meant to be prepared ahead, if you like to sleep in on brunch mornings as much as me.
  7. Think taco bars are fun? This is the fancy brunch equivalent. Until you can put sprinkles on tacos (I implore you: just say no), crêpes are going to win this round.
  8. If you’re besieged by tearing, flimsy exasperating to make crêpes, I think you’re due for a new recipe. Like mine.

lumpy, but you'll whisk it

… Read the rest of failproof crêpes + a crêpe party on smittenkitchen.com


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This Is What You Should Know Before Going to Mexico City — Travel Tips from The Kitchn

As far as travel destinations go, Mexico City is white hot. With insanely delicious street food, a burgeoning contemporary art scene, and vibrant, walkable neighborhoods, the capital is more popular than ever with in-the-know travelers. Having more or less overcome old, outdated stereotypes about its safety, the city is expected to welcome about 30 million tourists this year — and if you count yourself among them, then this travel guide is for you. Here’s the lowdown on what to expect when visiting Mexico City.

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How I Found My Mama Tribe — Life with Children

In honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday, and the conversations happening around the brunch table for mothers past and present, we asked one of our favorite bloggers, LaTonya Yvette, to bring us a few meditations on what she has learned about life, love, and happiness through motherhood. — Faith

Six years a mother, and I’ve seen it all when it comes to mama tribes. It’s not that I purposefully went around the rodeo a few times; it just takes a while to find that core crew — years even. What I love most about New York City is that there are always people to meet and new friends to make, but when it comes to motherhood, I find this factor difficult at times.

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