Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 27

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With the first week of our second page of the Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year Guide completed, we seem to be off to a very strong start for the remaining 26 weeks of our challenge. This week showcased recipes such as the Gaines Brother Burgers (p.81), Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam (p.82) and Fried Green Tomatoes (p.186) which all were very well received. As each of these recipes were in the same southern palate, Charlie and I enjoyed several meals consisting of all three dishes which paired together beautifully.

Gaines Brother Burgers

When I first noticed that this recipe had the stamp of being served at the Magnolia Table restaurant, I knew that it was going to be a winner. Warm, sweet, savory and simply delicious, this Gaines Brother Burger had everything you could ever hope for in an artisan burger. The Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam is simply divine on top of the meat and it pairs deliciously with the creamy Gruyere cheese, peppery arugula and fresh tomato. As one of the best burger combinations I have had, I would highly recommend this recipe for anyone looking to glam up a traditional summer cookout recipe.

Crowd Average Rating:

While only Charlie and I had the pleasure of trying this recipe, we both gave this burger a 9, therefore giving it an average rating of a 9. For us, to have a recipe gain a rating of a 9 or 10, we have to be instantly stunned on the first bite and totally surprised with how delicious it is. I would say that each of us had that reaction as we shared huge smiles throughout the meal before revealing our ratings. I will note that for me, the only thing holding this burger back from being a 10, is that I believe the recipe would be fabulous with just one application of the Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam. Currently the burger assembly is brioche bun, drip jam, tomato, burger with cheese, drip jam, arugula, bun. While delicious, with this layering, the drip jam is the dominant flavor and I believe that in the future, I might just include one layer of the drip jam to allow for a fuller experience of the other flavors as well.

Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 27 - Gaines Brother Burgers

Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam

Much like the Gaines Brother Burgers above, this Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam is served at the Magnolia Table restaurant and was a complete flavorful surprise. When first beginning making this recipe, I was curious at how the consistency and flavors would meld together. To my happy surprise however, this drip jam has more of the texture of a chutney, but the flavor is smoky, sweet and salty all at once. The bacon and pork give a delicious smoky, savory taste that then compliments and balances the sweet tanginess of the tomatoes and brown sugar. Overall, I was blown away by this drip jam and the burgers above would not be the same without it.

Crowd Average Rating:

Gaining an average rating of 9.5, this Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam recipe is a sure winner. Honestly, I cannot think of any way to improve upon this recipe, other than to say that a little goes a long way. As this recipe has a fairly concentrated flavor, I found that a spoonful or two gave the perfect addition of flavor, without overpowering your original dish. Joanna mentions that you can use this topping spread on biscuits, with crackers and brie, risotto or even over grits and I imagine at each one of those options would be delicious.

Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 27 - Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam

Fried Green Tomatoes

Our last recipe of the week was Fried Green Tomatoes. While I am not a fried green tomatoes connoisseur, I thought that this recipe was very tasty. These Fried Green Tomatoes are served with a quick remoulade sauce that I believe really makes the dish. The tanginess of the remoulade wonderfully compliments the fried flavoring of the Fried Green Tomatoes and provides a lovely texture change for the dish as a whole. Overall, if you are really into Fried Green Tomatoes or are just looking for a recipe to try out, this can be a fun one to try.

Crowd Average Rating:

Despite not scoring quite as high as the last two recipes, these Fried Green Tomatoes gained an average rating of 6.5. While I certainly enjoyed this recipe, I am not sure it would make it to the top of my list for my next cookout only due to the amount of steps that are involved in the process. Aside from that however, I will definitely agree with Joanna’s statement that the quick remoulade sauce is even better after chilling for 24 hours, so if you are able to make this sauce ahead of time, I definitely recommend it.

Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year: Week 27 - Fried Green Tomatoes

Looking Ahead – Week Twenty-Eight

Week 28 Shopping List Includes:

Black pepper
Kosher salt
Chicken breasts
Red grapes
Pecans
Green onions
Mayonnaise
Bananas

Small croissants
Butter lettuce
Vine ripened tomatoes
Lemon
Garlic
Bay leaf
Chicken broth

Cream cheese
Sweetened condensed milk
Whole milk
Instant vanilla pudding mix
Whipped cream or Cool Whip
Vanilla Wafers

Looking ahead at week 28 within our Cooking Through Magnolia Table In A Year Guide, this upcoming week will feature Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches (p.84), Poached Chicken Breasts (p.85) and Aunt Opal’s Banana Pudding (p.287) . While many of these ingredients will need to be bought fresh for this week, any heavy whipping cream you have left over from the Fried Green Tomatoes can be used for the Banana Pudding. Judging by how delicious Joanna Gaines’ last chicken salad recipe (reviewed HERE in Week 9!) was and the fact that Aunt Opal’s Banana Pudding recipe is also served at the Magnolia Table restaurant, I am sure that these recipes will be real winners for this upcoming week.

Final Thoughts

With 3 recipes within 2 weeks being served at the Magnolia Table Restaurant, I know that we are in for a delicious experience. Fortunately, most of the recipes throughout this cookbook have been fabulous, but I do always look forward to the ones that the Gaines have become known for in Waco. If you have tried these artisan burgers or the Bacon Tomato Sweet Drip Jam, what did you think? Were you stunned by their deliciousness as well? If so, I would love to know in the comment section below!

Happy cooking!