I am having a ball cooking and baking my way through Joanna Gaines' newest pot of gold, Magnolia Table Cookbook. It's reinspired me in the kitchen, made meal planning easy as I'm no longer overwhelmed with countless cookbooks, Pinterest boards, and other recipe collections, and I've hardly found a recipe I haven't loved. The cookbook is simple, classic, and full of sweet stories that get right at the heart of what I love about cooking. It's so much more than the flavors and tastes when the food hits those taste buds. Food is just the currency that buys you connection and togetherness, comfort and heart, beauty in the process and the details of it all. It brings out the very best - a slow rainy afternoon in the kitchen with my girl, a summertime supper on the deck while the sun's going down, a dessert so good your friends can't help but lick the plate.
The pages of my cookbook are smudged and a little worse for wear (there's an avocado stain on the guacamole page that drives me a little bonkers), but I'm 21 recipes in! I've done the math and if I make about 3 a week, I'll be done with the entire cookbook in a year. But at the rate I'm going, I may be closing the cover sooner rather than later. Especially if the recipes continue to be so good!
(8) I made Joanna's orange scones fittingly on the morning of the big royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I got up before the sun and having just returned from our trip across the pond, I was full of love for everything British, especially something to dunk in my teacup. I've never been a big fan of scones, always find them a little dry and crumbly, but these nothing of the sort! And the orange glaze overtop? This was definitely the icing on the cake!
(9) I made the deviled eggs for a Memorial Day barbecue at the Susongs, and they were a hit. You really can't go wrong with a deviled egg! These were a little unique using pickled relish in the filling, and although I think I prefer my hubby's recipe, these were still gone in a flash.
(10) Beau and I have spent years attempting many different homemade mac and cheese recipes. And this one is the best we've ever made I think! If you've spent any time in this cookbook, you've likely discovered Joanna's love of Gruyere cheese. I know I've purchased more Gruyere the last three weeks than in my entire life! We've grown to love it's smooth and rich flavor, and have definitely found that the key to a good dish with cheese is the grate it yourself. I know it takes an extra step, but the grated cheese doesn't compare to the bagged stuff! And while it's not pictured on the pictures below, the optional crispy topping is a must!
(11) I made the chocolate cola cake for Beau's birthday and it was yet another big hit. The cola was added to both the cake and the frosting and made both smooth, moist, and easy to work with. It tasted like a fluffy brownie and stayed good for almost a week. And, it paired wonderfully with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
(12) I made the sour cream chicken enchiladas a couple weeks ago and these will definitely go on the rotation for our favorite Mexican night. They were easy, especially using rotisserie chicken from the store and chopped the night before. We lightened them up with all the yummy fixings - fresh cilantro, tomato, and lime wedges, and were impressed how long they lasted in the fridge. Definitely a make again recipe, and would be great made ahead of time to serve for company!
(13) We also loved the Mexican rice and decided we need to take the extra two steps to make more non-instant rice more often! It was almost as easy as the instant stuff, and far less sticky. We threw in a handful of cilantro when we were ready to serve, and also served this with fresh lime wedges for a little citrus.
(14) I made the egg salad for lunch this week and was a big fan of this as well! I usually use chopped celery in my egg salad, and this one called for chopped dill pickles instead. They added the crunch I love, and also gave it some flavor! I used dried onion flakes instead of the grated onion it calls for, and will definitely be making this again!
(15) Other than the biscuits (these get their very own post), my favorite recipe in the cookbook thus far has to be the broiled honey thyme peaches with ice cream and aged balsamic. My favorite dishes are ones that include a mix of random and bold (or loud) flavors, ones that sort of dance in your mouth and create a different experience with every single bite. And I especially love flavors that mix savory and sweet. And this dish did all of that and it was easy and impressive to put together. I made the honey butter sauce ahead of time and let it set on the counter until I was ready to assemble. While the peaches broiled, I scooped the ice cream in pretty bowls, added a peach half to each, then drizzled with the honey sauce and topped with a sprinkle of thyme and a small splash of balsamic. It was amazing, so good that our foodie friend, Aram, licked the plate with no shame!
Out of the 21 dishes we've tried, there were just two we didn't care for...
(16) While we liked the Bow Tie Pasta with Kale and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, next time we'll thrown in some bacon or pancetta, and cut back on the cream cheese. An entire block of cream cheese, as well as the chopped artichokes, made this one a little too rich and creamy for us.
(17) The pancakes were good, but dare I say too fluffy? I had a hard time cooking these all the way through the middle without burning the outsides because they were so big! I've also found a pancake recipe that has become a staple at our house, so JoJo's were up against some stiff competition. :)
Stay tuned for an entirely separate post on all things strawberries and my favorite recipe to date. (Hint, we went strawberry picking this week. :))
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