Tartar Sauce

Hush Puppies

Joanna Gaines is the co-founder of Magnolia, a home and lifestyle brand, a bestselling author, and editor-in-chief of Magnolia Journal. Alongside her passion for design and food, nothing inspires Jo more than time at home with family—messing with recipes in the kitchen or planting something in the garden.

Joanna Gaines

"When hush puppies are cut too large, they tend to end up with what my kids call "mushy middles." I prefer to cut them on the smaller side, so they'll keep a firm consistency all the way through. Hush puppies are delicious on their own, but I can't imagine serving fried fish without them. On those occasions, I'll have a plate prepped and ready to fry right before dinnertime so I can serve them my favorite way—piping hot." – Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Joanna Gaines' Hush Puppies with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Hush Puppies with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Meet The Creator

I often make these hearty, flavorful sandwiches when friends and family come to help out on the ranch. I can prepare most of this meal ahead of time—the meat and coleslaw can be made the day before I need to serve them (see Cook’s Note)—and the sandwiches are big and meaty enough to fill everyone up on a day full of hard work. (They’re also a favorite of Austin’s, because he loves sandwiches so much that he thinks of them as his favorite food group.) This recipe feeds six, but I usually double it to serve a crowd.

Pulled Brisket Sandwiches with Coleslaw

Some of my favorite memories growing up include eating dumplings around the table with my mom's side of the family. I knew I couldn't make today's menu

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 5, Episode 4

"A dish that looks fancy but is secretly simple will always have a place on my table. Wedge salads in general are great at pulling this off—and fortunately, everyone in our family enjoys them. I like to slice the iceberg wedges beforehand, then serve the toppings family-style so everyone can tailor their own. The kids and I like to dress our salad with ranch, but Chip always prefers blue cheese. Since this is one of Chip's favorite salads, that classic take is what I've shared here." – Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Joanna Gaines' Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

“There are some meals you know are special because of the time they require or the long list of ingredients they call for. Other times, I find joy in recipes that can be as creative or straightforward as I want. The base of this recipe offers that flexibility. Flatbread is delicious with a simple, traditional hummus or dip, but I also love piling on veggies from the garden, or as this recipe calls for, a little bit of prosciutto and arugula.” — Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Joanna Gaines' Balsamic-Glazed Prosciutto Flatbread

Balsamic-Glazed Prosciutto Flatbread

Roasted mushrooms are one of my favorite dishes to make when hosting friends for dinner because it's so easy to throw them on a sheet pan and let the oven do the work. You can really build on the richness of the mushrooms by pairing it with a simple vinaigrette. As with the Honey Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin, this was inspired by a dish in The Fresh Honey Cookbook by one of my dear late friends, Laurey Masterton. Laurey was wildly passionate about a lot of things, and one of those was bees and honey. It was an honor to be able to recreate some of Laurey's dishes for a dinner on From the Source, incorporating a few of my own touches along the way.

Katie Button's Roasted Mushrooms with Honey Vinaigrette

Roasted Mushrooms with Honey Vinaigrette

There are a million ways to make a chocolate chip cookie. My grandfather used to sprinkle a pinch of salt on top of each one, and it’s my favorite way to make them too. This recipe is my preferred combination of sweet and salty, chocolatey and chewy. I usually bake half of the cookie dough and freeze the other half; that way I can bake them just when I need to and serve them warm.

Elizabeth Poett's Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

Chip’s great-aunt Opal didn’t have children of her own, but she cooked a lot for Chip’s dad and uncle when they were kids. She was especially known for her excellent pies and this spectacular banana pudding. When Chip and I were first married, it was a staple of his mom’s, and we usually enjoyed it on Christmas Eve. I’ve loved it ever since. When I make this family favorite, I typically use my homemade whipped cream in place of dessert topping, but either is great. I usually compose the whole thing in a clear glass trifle dish, so the pretty layers are visible. You can serve it in individual cups if you prefer.

Joanna Gaines's Aunt Opal's Banana Pudding

Aunt Opal's Banana Pudding

TIP: For quick assembly, substitute the homemade pie crust with a store-bought 9-inch pie crust. 
“Since I was a kid, cherry pie has always been my favorite. But no one in my house likes it all that much. I was disappointed until I discovered this recipe. Now I’ve realized that being the only person who likes cherry pie in a house where there’s fresh cherry pie isn’t a bad thing, because I have the whole pie to myself!” — Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Cherry Pie with Streusel

When I was learning how to cook, making a somewhat healthy meal for four small kids (that they actually wanted to eat) wasn’t always easy. But I knew their

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 7, Episode 4

We serve this burger at Magnolia Table, and I have to confess that it’s one of my favorite things on the menu. My boys love burgers of just about any kind, so I could probably get away with serving something a little plainer to them (and, of course, you can leave any part of this out if you have picky eaters—or let everyone pick their own toppings). I just love how a grilled buttered brioche bun holds a savory burger, sweet drip jam, creamy melted cheese, and peppery fresh arugula, so that every single bite is an amazing combination of flavors and textures.

Gaines Brother Burgers with Drip Jam

We all have those meals that remind us of our favorite time of year. Friendsgiving Casserole is just that for me. It’s a dish I started making when a group of

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Episode 2

Living in Texas means there are short windows of truly pleasant weather when you can linger outside and lose all sense of time. I like to seize those moments

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 6, Episode 5

"Lobster rolls will forever remind me of our honeymoon. We flew to New York City for a few days, then rented a car and hit the road toward Maine. It was on this trip that I had my first-ever lobster roll. I can still remember the taste of that lobster paired with a buttered bun. Simple, fresh, and just delicious." – Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Lobster Rolls

This cake is light and airy and fresh! It’s lemony but not overwhelmingly so. I love buttercream frosting and I love lemon curd, and so I decided to try combining them. The result was a frosting that is a dreamy blend of these two favorites: a fresh lemon flavor and a smooth, buttery frosting all in one. If you don't have time to make the lemon curd, it can be store-bought, but it’s fun to make. If you make it you’ll end up with a little bit of extra curd to enjoy on toast. My dad loves everything lemon so I make this cake for him on his birthday every year.

Elizabeth Poett's Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting

Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting

I am always super-excited when fresh cherries show up at the markets! These little stone fruits burst with flavor and are only here for a short time, so I love to enjoy them as much as possible. Scones are an easy, quick way to make something special for breakfast, and I think they are best with fresh fruit in them.

Elizabeth Poett's Cherry-Almond Scones Drizzled with White Chocolate

Cherry-Almond Scones Drizzled with White Chocolate

I can’t believe the last episode of Fixer Upper is in the books—but what a way to end it! My favorite room from "The Americana House" is the kitchen and

Fixer Upper Season 5, Episode 19

On any given weekend at the Gaines’ house, you’ll likely find us pulling out all the stops for breakfast, which is Chip’s favorite meal of the day. I asked

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 6, Episode 2

As much as I enjoy doing my own thing in the kitchen, I love when the kids are happy to jump in and help me make a meal. In this episode, I have a couple of

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Episode 4

Where I live, there are beautiful carrots at the farmers’ market year round, and I am always trying to find ways to cook and bake with them. When I was a child, I called carrot cake “healthy cake.” I remember not really liking the lumps of nuts and all of the different textures in the cake, but I loved the sweet, rich flavor. This is my rendition of a carrot cake with all the flavors without the interruption of so many different textures and crunches. It’s a light, fluffy cake that’s also rich and moist. I love the crunch and flavor of nuts, so instead of mixing them into the batter, I put them on the outside of the frosted cake. Carrot cakes can look rather drab, all brown and white. I love to decorate the top of this cake with a few edible orange flowers and a few green sprigs from the carrot tops to add some brightness to this delicious cake.

Elizabeth Poett's Four-Layer Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Four-Layer Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I started this year with one resolution: have more fun. I used to love roller skating when I was a kid, so I bought a pair for my girls and me. Now I bring my