WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Rhode Island granted a temporary restraining order Friday that would compel the government to distribute food stamp benefits for November.

Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island made the ruling from the bench in a lawsuit brought by the Rhode Island State ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Two federal judges ruled the Trump administration’s decision to suspend food-aid benefits for tens of millions of Americans during the government shutdown is likely unlawful and that U.S. officials must use contingency funding to at least partially keep the program operational.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island...Read more

President Donald Trump’s secretary of agriculture on Friday said the “silver lining” of the looming cutoff of SNAP food aid is a greater awareness of the downsides of what she derided as a “boated” and “corrupt” program.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, who says she won’t dip into a contingency fund to pay for SNAP amid the ...Read more

A federal judge Thursday said she was considering ordering the Trump administration not to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown.

District Court Judge Indira Talwani sounded like she mostly agreed with the demand by New York Attorney General Letitia James and 24 other ...Read more

CLARKSTON, Ga. — After fleeing the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, Antoinette landed in the Atlanta area last November and began to find her footing with federal help.

Separated from her adult children and grieving her husband’s death in the war, she started a job packing boxes in a warehouse, making just enough to cover rent for her...Read more

There’s no way his local government can fill the void created by a disruption in the federal food stamp program, but local official Gregg Wright says his Minnesota county had to do something.

“This is pretty much a crisis for families,” said Wright, a member of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners.

Last week, the board unanimously ...Read more

This sheet-pan salmon and Brussels sprouts recipe is a game-changer for weeknight dinners. Cooked entirely on one pan, this dish combines tender, flaky salmon with crispy roasted Brussels sprouts, all brought together with a zesty lemon-roasted garlic drizzle. It’s quick, flavorful and makes cleanup a breeze — perfect for busy evenings!

...Read more

After a warm fall, I’m happy to say that soup season has officially started. Let’s enjoy a hearty bowl of soup to warm both body and soul. Creamy soups are perfect as a starter, while brothy, chunky soups, full of protein and vegetables, make satisfying main courses.

Don’t overlook the therapeutic power of soup. Chicken soup’s ...Read more

Make-ahead anything is a boon for the holiday cook. Each year I try to streamline my cooking for Thanksgiving by either eliminating a dish or two or making some dishes well ahead of time. Here you will find a yummy stuffing studded with dried apricots and cooked chestnuts that can be frozen a month ahead, defrosted and finished in...Read more

There’s a certain logic to the idea that eating high-fat foods — even nutritious foods such as avocados, nuts and olive oil — can lead to weight gain. After all, one gram of fat contains nine calories, while one gram of protein or carbohydrate contains only four calories. But just as science has debunked the idea that weight loss or weight...Read more

I have fond memories of sipping café de olla, a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with warm spices, when I was growing up. It always felt like a hug in a mug. This café de olla martini takes that nostalgic flavor and transforms it into a sophisticated cocktail — it’s the perfect combination of childhood memories and adult indulgence. Café...Read more

Ding Dongs are a classic snack of little glazed chocolate cakes filled with a fluffy white frosting. While the original Hostess snack cakes were created in the 1960s, Ding Dong-inspired cakes have become increasingly popular in recent years.

My homemade Ding Dong cake is a slightly elevated play on the childhood favorite. In this recipe, rich ...Read more

This seasonal dessert marries two Mediterranean flavors: fresh, ripe figs and sweet peaches.

The pastry crust is very forgiving and comes together in just a few minutes (though it has to be chilled for an hour).

If you have really sweet fruit, you can cut back on the amount of sugar in the filling; if it's on the under-ripe side, increase it. ...Read more

Many family dinners are planned ahead of time after pulling a delicious-sounding recipe out of a cookbook and making a detailed grocery list. But there are plenty of nights when this home cook just wings it based on what's lurking in her freezer, has ripened on the counter or — more often than I'd like to admit — is about to spoil in the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood's first legal distillery is now open, serving California-minded flavors — and history — in a former mortuary. At Hollywood Distillery, the owners are sourcing grains from Southern California farmers and using Coachella Valley dates to sweeten and ferment their award-winning vodka.

"You can taste that it's not your ...Read more

A friend once said there’s no such thing as soup season — it should be enjoyed year-round. As someone who just happily ordered a cup of chicken wild rice soup on a 90-degree day, I agree.

But when the air finally does turn crisp, it reignites the desire to cook all cozy. Dutch ovens and stockpots stay front and center, and we start rotating...Read more

Cooking creates all kinds of wonderful and comforting smells, whether it's sugar cookies in the oven or a hearty stew on the stovetop. But for me in fall, there's nothing quite like the smoky-sweet scent of Hatch chiles roasting over an open flame or the grates of a hot grill.

The aroma is intoxicating, so intense as it wafts through the air ...Read more

States are rushing to inform some residents who rely on food stamps that they will soon be forced to meet work requirements or lose their food assistance.

Recent federal legislation ended exemptions to work requirements for older adults, homeless people, veterans and some rural residents, among others. A rapid timeline to put the changes into ...Read more

These healthy pumpkin-oatmeal muffins will get you in the mood for fall any time of the year. Sprinkling the muffins with pecans adds a nutty crunch to every bite. Serve them for breakfast or as a grab-and-go snack.

Pumpkin-Oatmeal Muffins

Serves 12

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 ...Read more

True to their name, hearts of palm are the creamy white vegetable harvested from the inner core, or heart, of certain palm trees.

The folklore

Native to South and Central America, hearts of palm (as well as the nuts, bark, and leaves of the palm tree) have been used by indigenous people for thousands of years, dating back to ...Read more