The Ultimate Baking Bucket List
The things everyone should bake before they die
The journey, in pictures and words, of cooking every recipe in the Magnolia Table cookbook
Page 35 Originally posted 2/25/2019 The Hollandaise sauce is the hardest part. Took 2 tries to get it right and it thickened (and broke) way faster than the recipe described. Mark says he likes this Hollandaise better than the usual stuff and since I have never had it before I will trust his judgement.
Page 229 Originally posted 2/24/2019 This is good and would be better without the walnuts IMHO. They are just a little too crunchy of a texture, and the added nut flavor actually is a bit much on top of the sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, garlic, Parmesan, and baby spinach. Note to self – the sun-dried […]
Page 150 Originally posted 2/24/2019 Mmmmmm. I had a baked Brie this weekend at the hotel for district training and it was good, but this blows that one completely out of the water. The apples add a tart little kick to the sweet topping that is fantastic. Hard to stop eating this!
Page 173 Originally posted 2/18/2019 Meh. These are good, I mean it’s potatoes and a cream sauce so how bad could it be, am I right? But they are not fantastic or unique. The cheese is very mild and it has a ton of garlic so a stronger flavored cheese (Parmesan comes to mind) or […]
Page 199 Originally posted 2/18/2019 It tastes better if you don’t think about what’s in it. This is a “kitchen sink” casserole, or as we say, a “cupboard clean-out” casserole. I am not completely sold on the water chestnuts, and the tarragon is a new flavor that is unique and takes some getting used to. […]
Page 311 Originally posted 2/17/2019 One of these makes a dessert! Good shortbread recipe and a basic semi-sweet chocolate dip. Not sure how well these are going to store, though. The chocolate is firm, but not hard. I will update with results in a day or 2. Update – stored just fine.
Page 58 Originally posted 2/9/2019 (With crunchy walnut topping) It took 2 tries to get this one right. The middle picture is the “nailed it!” first try where I put the topping in as the filling. Doh! My biggest complaint about this is that the outside 1/16 inch of the bread all the way around […]
Page 137 Originally posted 2/8/2019 I love garlic. I love bread. I love olives. I love butter! But this combination is just incapacitatingly strong. I waited a few minutes and then scraped the toppings off to be able to eat the flavored bread. Almost inedible otherwise.
Page 61 Originally posted 2/8/2019 Oh. My. God. These are the best scones I have ever had. Mark says the same and he has had way more than I! The perfect density, not too dry, tons of orange flavor, and the glaze tastes like an orange creamsicle has been spread on top. Yet another recipe […]
Page 237 Originally posted 2/7/2019 I hate fish, and was dreading this one. So it’s a good thing this has no fishy flavor. It is really good and I may make this again during Lent.
Page 257 Originally posted 2/6/2019 These are tasty! BUT… they are incredibly messy to roll up. I made a second one that layers the tortillas, meat, cheese, and sauce that tastes as good but is way quicker and cleaner to assemble. The flavor is really in her meat mixture so assemble how you like.
Page 291 Originally posted 2/5/2019 Reheated next day with syrup and butter – 4.6 starsReheated with melted cream cheese frosting – 4.8 stars This is a different and tasty dessert. The texture is a cross between a bread pudding and a French toast bake. The flavor is excellent but it needs something more, IMHO. Mark […]
Page 221 Originally posted 2/4/2019 Mmmmmm. Add this to your list of comfort foods if you like warm and filling. I used the onion soup option and it is very tasty. Bonus – cook and serve in the same pan, but you need a BIG pan.
Page 153 Originally posted 2/3/2019 Bias alert- not a big fan of hummus to start with and the canned bean flavor still comes through even with the roasted garlic and all the other flavors you add to it. That said, a cracker with the hummus and the roasted pepper is pretty good.
Page 133 Originally posted 2/3/2019 Mark gives this one a 4.9 Deviled eggs are like chili – you have YOUR recipe that you have developed over years and anything NOT yours tastes “off”. That said, these are really good if you like a LOT of dill. I prefer sweet relish, but putting that aside, these […]
Page 84 Originally posted 2/18/2019 Uses the Poached Chicken The sandwiches are interesting as I do not usually put grapes in anything other than jelly or my mouth. This is a yummy chicken salad. I prefer walnuts and cranberries, but this is good, a bit of a change from what we normally have but still […]
Page 85 Originally posted 2/18/2019 Poached chicken, what can you say? They taste like poached chicken.
Page 89 Originally posted 2/3/2019 Mark gives it a 4.9 Yet another one that Mark loves. This is really easy and really good. I am going to make a grilled Pimiento cheese sandwich for lunch tomorrow out of this and may not make any afternoon meetings due to food coma. I made a half batch […]
Originally posted 2/3/2019 Things I have learned in the first month of this challenge: You can never have too many kitchen tongs or kitchen spoons or spatulas I am really glad we got the dishwasher with the 3rd rack because it is perfect for tongs, large spoons, and spatulas Our sink needs to be about […]
Page 69 Originally posted 2/3/2019 (Mark gives it a 4.9) This is fantastic banana bread! Moist, dense, sweet… it’s got it all. This will be a favorite, I am sure, that will be made many times. The middle picture is that moment when your OCD self struggles with disrupting the symmetry of a balanced egg […]
Page 211 Originally posted 2/1/2019 These are easy and D-licious, with a capital D! Served over the leftover chicken spaghetti it makes a filling and comfort food level meal. There is a trick here to seasoning the chicken coating that I won’t give away, but this is another recipe it is worth buying the book […]
Page 29 Originally posted 2/2/2019 but… The texture of the skin of the baked egg is odd if you leave it in the oven even 5 seconds too long. The flavor, however, is really, really good. I made a half recipe since you need to eat right away and there are only 2 of us […]
Page 213 Originally posted on 2/1/2019 Mmmmmmmmm. So yummy. Rich sauce with sweet peppers and so much creamy, cheesy goodness. My only wish is that there were more sauce – licking the bowl at my age is so undignified.
Page 105 Originally posted 2/25/2019 Thick, creamy, and filling, this is a great soup! It isn’t hard to make at all – anyone can do it – but it’s got restaurant quality flavor. We decided to take it out on the deck since it has finally warmed up a bit, and between the soup and […]
Page 227 Originally posted 2/7/2019 Mark gives it 3.9 stars. First try at making risotto and it is a chore, but one that is sooooooo worth the time and effort. It has big lemon flavor that I adored but Mark thinks is a bit overpowering. This is not hard, you just have to be patient […]
Page 277 Originally posted in January 2019 A chocolate chip and pecan brownie cannot get anything lower than a 3 simply because it’s a chocolate chip and pecan brownie. But for this one … It’s a great idea that just doesn’t work to get above the baseline. The pie crust messes with the texture and […]
Page 77 Originally posted January 2019 Used on the BLTs O.M.G. If you thought BLTs could not get any better, you were wrong. New weekend game plan: make extra bacon for breakfast and use it in sandwiches at lunch. Because who doesn’t love having bacon twice in one day?! The mayo is the kicker here. […]
Page 313 Originally posted 2/1/2019 How many times can I use the word “wow” before it loses its effect? May need a thesaurus because the hits just keep on comin’! And the lavender was not available in the store, I stumbled on it at, of all places, the boat show last weekend. These are fabulous! […]
Page 49 Originally posted 2/1/2019 I like these, but the men in the house are not fans. If you are expecting a plain biscuit taste and texture these will seem off. Maybe making them in mini muffin tins would help to reorient you to this savory concoction. (BTW this recipe does not use eggs. It […]
Page 219 Originally posted January 2019 Mr. Gail is one blessed man. This is better than Olive Garden. And way better than jarred sauce. Suggestions for improving are: Mark – slice the chicken me – add a sprinkle of nutmeg on top Andrew – double the recipe
Page 33 January 2019 Yummy, yummy, yummy. It needs more salt and black pepper, and it is a little dry, so more cheese would also help bump this up a notch. Mark suggests an over easy egg on your serving to really make it feel like a meal unto itself. But you cannot go wrong […]
Page 307 Originally posted January 2019 With Pecans – 3.25With Pecans and Carmel bits – 4.25 The sea salt in this really comes through and makes a plain Chocolate Chip Cookie taste like a mistake was made in the measuring. But add pecans and Carmel bits and you have Sea Salt Turtle cookies! I know, […]
Page 95 Originally posted January 2019 Mmmmmmm. Wonderful start to a cold, cold morning. Delicious and an interesting flavor combination. The peppers are cut a bit bigger than usual for a dice, but it works because they end up soft enough that you don’t get too much in a bite if you don’t want to. […]
Page 147 Originally posted January 2019 Holy kickin’ crackers! These have some heat! However, I cannot wait to try these in tomato soup. Next time I will halve the red pepper flakes (Chip would probably give me grief for a weeny move like that). Tip – don’t use them as is in the Gaines Family […]
Page 256 Originally posted January 2019 Everyone has their own chili that they spend years perfecting. So this may not be YOUR chili, but it is GOOD chili. A bit of heat from the Rotelle mostly makes up for the total lack of other spices. I was shaking my head that there was no chili […]
Page 75 Originally posted 1/24/2019 Uses Herbed Mayo O.M.G. If you thought BLTs could not get any better, you were wrong. New weekend game plan: make extra bacon for breakfast and use it in sandwiches at lunch. Because who doesn’t love having bacon twice in one day?! The mayo is the kicker here. It is […]
Page 195 Originally posted 1/22/2019 Okay, the texture is just strange. It’s kind of grainy AND it needs more spice. I mixed it in with the spicy beans and they toned down the texture weirdness and amped up the flavor so they at least added bulk to the meal. To be fair, I may not […]
Page 193 Originally posted 1/22/2019 Really good flavor, and I do NOT usually like green chili anything. Go into it with an open mind and you will love it. Go in expecting the usual red chili taste and corn tortilla texture and you will be disappointed. Love the fact that she encourages us busy folk […]
Page 215 Originally posted 1/21/2019 There are few things as comforting as chicken and dumplings on a day that started out at 19 degrees and by lunch is only flirting with 32. I put the broth on between meetings this morning and made the rest on my lunch break on a work-from-home day. That’s how […]
Page 216 Originally posted 1/21/2019 Used in Chicken and Dumplings There are few things as comforting as chicken and dumplings on a day that started out at 19 degrees and by lunch is only flirting with 32. I put the broth on between meetings this morning and made the rest on my lunch break on […]
