It's been a little bit since I've checked back in. I've been preoccupied with work and trying to handle my little sisters and the possibility of them going back to normal school. However, now that things are a little bit more handled, I'm going to continue to update you on how the 1x1x1 diet has been going for me these past couple of weeks in this coming week.
For today, I wanted to showcase some of my favorite recipes from The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook. It's not the usual Social Media Sunday post that I plan, but I wanted to celebrate the fact that Sweet Magnolias has been renewed for a Season 2 by Netflix, which was announced a little over a week ago. I've had this cookbook since it came out in 2012, and it is filled with some of my favorite recipes to make.
While I don't have the authority to share the recipes and the book is out of print, you can still get a digital version from book retailers or on Kindle. Sherryl Woods has also shared a few of the recipes that have been showcased on the Netflix Show on her website, which are there for free.
Maybe you'll find some recipes you'll want to try, or try to recreate on your own. Without further ado, here are 6 of my favorite recipes from The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook.
Helen's Lethal Margaritas
Be careful not to make a habit of saying, "Pour it out," when you're drinking this. You don't realize how lethal it really is until a little while later. I love making this when I'm hosting gatherings at my place, and my friends love them. Luckily, if you go to Sherryl Woods' page, this is one of the recipes that she has chosen to share.
Erik's Grilled Cheese Panini with Pecan-Pesto Mayo and Spicy Tomato Jam
I'm not a big grilled-cheese person because I find them to be kind of ordinary, but the spicy tomato jam works really well to bring this panini alive. In addition to that, the recipe makes enough that you can store in the fridge for two weeks, so instead of storing the pesto in the fridge, I made pasta with pesto-cream sauce. It's more food for a little less work, and I love that.
While this recipe isn't shared anywhere online, I think you can recreate something just as good with store-bought pesto, red pepper jelly (a staple in my cabinet), and gouda and mozzarella cheeses. I also appreciate a bit of protein, so I'll also include pepperoni or ham if I have it.
Value tip: I don't have a panini press, so I use my waffle maker to press my sandwiches.
Valentine's Special Decadence Cake (Flourless Chocolate Cake)
The chocolate glaze in this recipe is what makes this cake so decadent. Beyond the rich chocolate of the cake, I've found I use the glaze recipe to dip chocolates and top vanilla cupcakes. If my boyfriend liked chocolate, it would probably be something I made him every time I wanted to make love in bed. Instead, I love myself by eating this cake.
Sadly, I have not found this recipe online. Maybe someone can share their favorite chocolate cake recipes in the comments below, and we can vote on which one is the favorite.
Grandma Sau's Favorite: Southern Smothered Corn Chowder
My grandma loves chowders in comparison to other soups because the milkiness of them gives them a creamy consistency. What she loves about this recipe is that the corn gives it a simple sweetness. Moreover, if you go to the initial Amazon link to this cookbook, this recipe is there in the description of the book.
Sunburst Lemon Bars
My story with lemon bars is this: I once had a friend named Macy, who introduced me to lemon bars. She was one of the sweetest girls I knew, and her lemon bars were just as sweet. Then Macy moved away, and I think we lost touch. But I wanted lemon bars, and eventually came across this recipe. The burst of lemon on my tongue give them the ability to compete with Macy's lemon bars, but there is also something to be said about your first lemon bar. Or maybe that's simply because I miss Macy sometimes.
Anyway, I can't find this recipe online, but maybe someone can see if Macy's recipe is floating around the internet. The possibility exists, and I'm willing to try out recipes that come my way just to see. I never learned Macy's recipe, so I can only confirm with a taste test.
Deep-Dish Apple Pie with Crunchy Crumb Topping
I never want another apple pie besides this one. Since having this book, I make it every Thanksgiving, and I talk about it in "My Fakesgiving (Thanksgiving) Menu" post. It is absolutely heavenly, and the crunchy crumb topping is everything. It is probably the reason that I will never go back to normal apple pie.
I don't know how any other apple pie recipe could come close, but perhaps you could alternatively use the topping recipe from this Banana Crumb Coffee Cake recipe as a substitute on your apple pie. I think it comes pretty close.
I'm planning on catching the site up with more posts this coming week. Until the next one, I hope you enjoy some tasty treats and wonderful times until then.