Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 49

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While week 49 brought us so many good recipes, it also brought our last Sunday dinner of 2022. When Charlie and I started this challenge, we wanted to encourage the “art of togetherness” while celebrating good food. So, to see a year later, the last Sunday dinner of our college siblings and their friends around our table rating recipes, laughing and enjoying each other’s company, it feels as if our cooking through Magnolia Table in a year challenge has been more of a success than just making it through a cookbook. This challenge has brought the “art of togetherness” and a very bittersweet feeling that we only have 8 more recipes to go until this journey is complete. Thankfully, while it may look different and won’t be spring boarded by Magnolia Table, this “art” does not have to stop in 2023. And just like the Sunday dinners, I am confident that the recipes of Jalapeno Drip Jam (p.83), Creamed Corn Spoonbread (p.187) and Gaines Family Chili (p.256) featured in week 49 will also make a reappearance as they are truly delicious and warm the heart.

Jalapeno Drip Jam

Having so enjoyed the Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam from week 27, I was very excited to try Joanna Gaines Jalapeno Drip Jam. Sweet, savory and slightly spicy, this drip jam is tremendous! As recommended, I served this drip jam over a block of cream cheese and together, they made a fabulous dip. Perfect for the holidays, this recipe is very reminiscent of a pepper jelly and is delicious served with crackers. If you are looking for a simple dip for any remaining holiday parties, I most definitely recommend trying this one out!

Crowd Average Rating:

Coming in with a crowd average rating of 7.5, this Jalapeno Drip Jam is stunning. With ratings ranging from a 5 to a 10, most who tried this dish thoroughly enjoyed it. We did have a few around our table who were not a huge fan of it being served over a block of straight cream cheese (hence the lower rating above), however I thought that the cream cheese provided a wonderful balance of flavor, texture and acted as a solid base. If you do enjoy cream cheese and sweet, savory, spicy dips, then you must add this recipe to your list.

Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 49 - Jalapeno Drip Jam

Creamed Corn Spoonbread

Creamed Corn Spoonbread. Softer than a cornbread but much more substantial than grits, this Creamed Corn Spoonbread is wonderful. Growing up, my mom had a very similar recipe and I always thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was very excited to try this version. Thankfully, it was just as delicious as I had remembered and pairs wonderfully with any Chili or Tex-Mex dish. We paired this dish with the Gaines Family Chili below and it was a huge hit. Whether you eat it as a side dish or add it straight to your chili bowl, the sweet flavor of the spoonbread is tremendous.

Crowd Average Rating:

Also coming in with a 7.5, this Creamed Corn Spoonbread was well liked around the table. For those that are big on a drier cornbread texture, the soft creamy texture of this spoonbread wasn’t necessarily their favorite, however on the flip side, others loved how it soaked up the juice in their chili bowl and became a wonderful soft addition instead of Fritos, so I believe it largely is personal preference as far as texture goes. Regardless, the flavor of this dish is wonderful.

Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 49 - Creamed Corn Spoonbread

Similarly, I did have to use a normal 8×8 cooking pan as I did not have the called for 2.5 quart casserole dish (normally a 7×11 pan), so I added about 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time. Other than taking a little longer than originally stated due to the pan change, the remaining recipe was very straightforward and I don’t plan to change anything in the future!

Gaines Family Chili

Having made this recipe in the past, I knew that we were in for a treat. Savory, flavorful and full of meat, this Gaines Family Chili is simply wonderful. Unfortunately, I have never been able to find the Ranch style brand Southwestern beans recommended, however, Bush’s Southwestern beans make a wonderful substitute. Serve with Fritos or the Creamed Corn Spoonbread above, cheddar cheese and sour cream and you are good to go! Overall, this recipe is wonderful, so be sure to check it out if you don’t already have a go-to chili recipe.

Crowd Average Rating:

With the highest rating of the week, the Gaines Family Chili gained a crowd average rating of 8! While I typically try to make the recipe exactly as is, I do absolutely love corn in my chili, so I did add a can of corn and it provided the perfect texture change. I imagine you could add chopped bell peppers as well if you enjoy those in your chili, however the recipe is fabulous as is, so feel free to experiment or just proceed with the original!

Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 49 - Gaines Family Chili

Looking Ahead – Week Fifty

Week 50 Shopping List Includes:

Black pepper
Kosher salt
Elephant garlic
Butter
French bread
Kalamata olives
Chives
Bacon

Onion
Butter
Wild rice
Cream of onion soup
Sour cream
Chicken broth
Garlic powder
Chicken tenders

Light brown sugar
Light corn syrup
Eggs
Cinnamon
Ancho chile powder
Pecans
Pie crust
Whipped cream

Looking ahead to week 50 within our Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year Guide, this upcoming week will feature Roasted Elephant Garlic Bread (p.137), Baked Chicken With Bacon Bottom (p.221) and Spiced Pecan Pie (p.275). Having made the Baked Chicken With Bacon Bottom, I know that we are in for a treat with this dish. On the flip side, I am very excited to try the Roasted Elephant Garlic Bread and Spiced Pecan Pie!

Final Thoughts

We are fast approaching our last recipe of this fabulous cookbook! Truly, we have eaten such good food and had a blast doing it. Whether you joined us this year in our cooking journey or are looking for a way to change up your life in 2023, I highly recommend pursuing the “art of togetherness” and expanding your culinary abilities. Like us, you just might find that your heart has grown just as much.

In the meantime, if you tried this week’s recipe, what were your thoughts? Did you love these as much as we did? If so, I would love to know in the comment section below!

Happy cooking!