In the Storm

Cooking through the Magnolia Table | Apple Cider Salad

We made a couple of minor changes to this Apple Cider Salad with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette that we tried one evening as a side dish to another Magnolia Table main dish that we feasted. As the men in my family can take - or leave - a side salad I wanted to keep this as simple as possible without making too many changes that would negate it being a recipe we were trying to replicate. Simply, we changed up the lettuce, preferring instead to use the crispness and tastiness of good 'ole Iceberg, and leaving out Radicchio I replaced it with radishes, bringing to the salad a ton of peppery flavor.

Short on time we almost left out the buttery walnuts but opted to make them anyways and, man, that was a good decision to leave them in. They added such a sweet nutty flavor that compliments the tang of the dressing very well. 

While I am certain I want to re-create this recipe again, I am also aware that my family just doesn't eat salad often. It, the recipe, is still going into our family recipe book because if I want a simple, yet tasty salad, with a bit more flare than teared lettuce and tomatoes, I will jump on this recipe, again.

Cook through the Magnolia Table | Baked Chicken with Bacon Bottom & Wild Rice

I was hesitant. Wild rice doesn't flip my skirt up. Bacon that isn't crispy has a texture that sometimes makes me gag. Thus, I wasn't sure I would like this baked chicken with a bacon bottom and wild rice casserole, the next recipe in our long line-up of the Magnolia Table cook through. Plus, the recipe calls for canned cream of onion soup - again - not a fan of canned soups, and we weren't going to have time to make homemade cream of onion soup, although next time we will.

And, there will be a next time!

This baked chicken was flavorful and maglicious! Magnificent and delicious all wrapped up in many delightful, mouthwatering bites.

Our big change-up was to use chicken breast cut into tender-size pieces. However, the next time we make this we will, most definitely, make our own cream of onion soup for a more healthier dish. Although with bacon and butter in the recipe...still, a fabulous dish. Yes, still not a huge lover of wild rice but even that didn't hamper each and every memorable bite.

Cooking through the Magnolia Table | Aunt Opal's Banana Pudding

Here's the truth: I've never been a fan of banana pudding. 

Until now.

Because this pudding - Aunt Opal's Banana Pudding was life changing.

Life-changing may sound a bit dramatic but this pudding made me go from not a fan to a F A N!!!

Then, Jarrod made this beautiful presentation of the pudding. And, it was devoured by small group, family, and when I went back for second's it was gone. I was so sad it was gone and I couldn't have second's.

Although, I made zero changes to this recipe (other than we don't have a trifle bowl and had to use a clear round bowl, which serves the same purpose but just isn't as pretty), we are putting this recipe into our family recipe book - and I made a recipe card. Because I could, and I am loving my new template for recipe cards.

 

Cooking through the Magnolia Table | Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Today I am sharing another Magnolia Table recipe we created as we cook our way through The Magnolia Table cookbook. I gotta' say - the changes we made turned out fantastic!

I'm not adverse to having multiple recipes for enchiladas - because - enchiladas. This is one of three recipes and I must say I, personally, appreciated it more than our original chicken enchilada recipe, however it sports an entirely different flavor combination. We have a delicious steak enchilada recipe, reminiscent of our beloved Jalapeno's Restaurant, Guadalajara Cheesesteak. 

I'm not a lover of 'mushy' tortillas - it's a texture issue, and these are not mushy, but have a nice crunch but not hard.

And, because we made recipe changes and LOVED this recipe we're adding it to our family recipe book, too.

Cooking Through The Magnolia Table | Bow Tie Pasta

Jarrod and I began this journey, cooking through the Magnolia Table cookbook at the beginning of 2021 and we have had a blast trying many new recipes. Thus far there has not been one recipe we haven't liked or for that matter - loved! Today, I am sharing one of those divine recipes that our family loved, the changes we made to the recipe to suit our family...and I created a brand new 4 x 6 recipe card template for our family 6 x 8 size album recipe books (we have two that are not yet full).

I am documenting our adventures through The Magnolia Table cookbook with a photo (if I remember to take one) and some highlights (both are 4 x 4 pages that will be included in a 4 x 4 album that I have yet to purchase) and thoughts about the recipe, and if our family likes, loves, or disliked the recipe. I include the date we prepared it - for posterity sakes. If we are planning on making the recipe again, with our personal changes, I am creating a recipe card that will go into our family recipe books.

This Bow Tie Pasta with Baby Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes was mouth-watering good! We did make a few changes to suit our family's tastes and I highly doubt we negatively impacted the dish, overall. Super delicious!

The highlights - for me - of this project is capturing our thoughts about the recipe dish we've created.

I am pleased with how the template has turned out. I love the clean and simple look and the added white space for ease of reading the text (recipe). Within the template the colors are changeable - which I will change to match the smaller photo that I am including on the new style recipe card. The 'additional' title next to the photo (on the left of) can be removed for additional ingredients if needed. I am thinking I will have much more room for those 'longer' recipe instructions, too.


 

Recipes | Lemon Cheesecake Squares with Blueberry Topping

Refreshing! The combination of lemon and blueberry is divine and since they are made in a parchment-lined 9 x 13 pan these lemon cheesecake squares with warm blueberry topping cooked over the stove before serving on top of the dessert are perfect for an after dinner dessert with coffee, or for a delicious summery treat with plump, fresh-picked blueberries.

Sweet and tart. Sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Recipes | Peach Cobbler

When Jeff and I visited the Farmer's Market at Forsythe Park one of my must haves were fresh, Georgia grown peaches. We brought home eight peaches with one sole purpose. Peach Cobbler. This cobbler was everything I wanted in a peach cobbler: slightly tart, but sweet peaches, cinnamon as a highlighted spice, a moist cake-like crust with a cinnamon crusty top golden brown. The peaches were amazing! We bought some Breyer's French Vanilla ice cream to go with the warm, not-long-out-of-the-oven peach cobbler. Of course, Chef Jarrod did the honors. One of his last contributions before finally heading back to work - for a second time around.

Recipes | Lasagna Zucchini Boats

You guys! This is a main dish recipe. Add a side salad and you have a complete, fairly healthy meal! And, crazy good, too! I have another recipe in my stash for zucchini boats from years ago, however I will be scrapping that recipe, pulling it from our recipe book and inserting this new, very much improved, Lasagna Zucchini Boat recipe.

I used this recipe from Cooking Classy is my guide and when I took that first bite my eyes rolled back and my mouth watered with the overwhelming flavors. The zucchini was perfectly crisp and the boats were filled over the brim with cheeses and meat and flavor.

Depending on the size of your zucchini, although medium zucchini's are best to achieve desired done-ness, you could easily serve 8 people if you had a large salad and maybe some garlic bread to go with it. We served 4 people with leftovers. We like spicy foods so I used a roll of hot Jimmy Dean sausage, which is our go-to sausage for crumbling into sauces - and for on our homemade pizzas - and into our breakfast dishes. But, if you're not a fan, you could use hamburger, instead.

For the cheeses, definitely use a really good, freshly grated Parmesan and we used a Mozzarella- Provolone combination which gives fantastic added flavor from the Provolone.

I cannot say enough about this dish. We will, easily, have these in a regular rotation, especially when zucchini is at it's freshest, and peak season.

Recipes | Honey Buffalo Chicken

Amazing flavor. We used this recipe by Plain Chicken as our guide and put together the most delightful marinade - ever! We doubled the recipe and used a variation in brands but I'm sure the flavors would be comparable. Jarrod did a beautiful job grilling up the chicken to perfect doneness. 

Without a doubt I will have these ingredients on hand, in my pantry, regularly, because this would be a perfect on-the-fly main dish. Can I say that I can still, days later, taste this chicken! I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this chicken tastes fantastic on a salad for lunch the next day - and the day after that - and the day after that.

When I can find a knock-your-socks-off flavorful main dish that is super simple to put together it is a huge win in my recipe book!

Recipes | Guadalajara Cheesesteak

Besides totally spelling Guadalajara wrong on the recipe card (which I will fix before printing) we, however, did not go wrong with these Guadalajara cheesesteaks! Similar to our beloved Jalapenos restaurants' Guadalajara cheesesteak. Both are smothered in a delectable cheese sauce, however, our cheese sauce is laced with cilantro and jalapenos and seasonings that speak to our taste buds - Mexican flavors.

These are perfect stand alone because they are filled with seasoned grilled steak and similar seasoned peppers and onions. You could easily serve them with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and sour cream along with the minced cilantro, but they are simply delightful on their own. We fill those flour tortillas to the brim with the meat and vegetables that one is plenty - unless you're my son John who will devour two, easily.

Below is the recipe care I created for our families recipe book, and the kids' recipe books.