Netflix And Chill, Bake, Simmer, and Saute: 'Sweet Magnolias' Has Its Own Cookbook

We could all use some good news right now. If you haven’t heard, there’s a new feel-good show streaming on Netflix called Sweet Magnolias, based on the books written by New York Times Best Selling Author, Sherryl Woods.

I’ve watched each episode twice already and all my best girls are obsessed with it too.

The show takes place in the South and the three main characters love to get together and put up a nice spread of snacks, drinks, and sweets. I mean, who doesn’t love a good girls’ brunch or gathering with amazing food and company?

One of the characters, Dana Sue, is a badass mother, businesswoman, and chef who owns a cafe in Serenity, South Carolina, where the show takes place. I love the scenes in the kitchen. You hear the clinking of dishes, meat sizzling on the stove, and watch the chefs craft perfect dishes for their guests. Not to mention you get to watch chef Erik work his magic. I love a man who knows his way around a kitchen.

It’s no secret many people love to bake as a way to reduce stress and bring them comfort. Many of us have exercised our skills, or started baking for the first time during this pandemic — which makes it the perfect time to try out new recipes or purchase a new, inspiring cookbook.

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I love being the bearer of uplifting surprises, so here it is. Sweet Magnolias just got sweeter — because there’s a Sweet Magnolia’s cookbook available for purchase or download with over 150 southern recipes.

Hello, I know what I’ll be doing every Sunday morning for the rest of summer. Cooking and baking my ass off.

Sherryl Woods says on her website that chef Teddi Wohlford created the book with some fantastic recipes inspired by the show. And there’s even a sampling of the deliciousness for free if you’d like to try out a recipe or two.

There’s everything from Helen’s Lethal Margaritas to Baked Apple Pudding.

Um, yes to both.

Since I watched this show with my daughter, and we both have mad cravings for brownies while PMS-ing (which we suffer from at the same time, but that’s a whole other article), it took us under two seconds to decide on making the Chef Erik Brownies.

Let me tell you something: I ate four of them throughout the weekend.

They were hearty, thick and smelled absolutely amazing. These aren’t your typical brownies. These were made for sundaes. The recipe includes instructions for a homemade hot fudge sauce that is out of this world.

I’d never made hot fudge sauce before, but it was incredibly simple to put together and would also be great on berries, drizzled over a spoonful of peanut butter … hell, I’d even lick it off an arm.

As soon as I took the glorious treats out of the oven, my kids each made a hot fudge sundae to enjoy and all was right in the world. It may sound like something small, but baking these with my kids, and then enjoying a nice dessert together, was the therapy we all needed. It was comforting, and I know we will be baking together more often no matter what is happening in our lives.

The recipe calls for six ounces of chocolate chips (I love a brownie with chocolate chips in it) but I had to ignore those directions and throw in the entire 12 oz bag. It was definitely the right move. If you ask me, measuring out a certain amount of chocolate chips is a waste of time — just throw in the whole damn bag.

Next, I think we’ll try the Three-Cheese Macaroni Casserole because nothing says comfort food like pasta and cheese.

So, if you are looking to brighten an evening or weekend, get this new cookbook, binge-watch Sweet Magnolias and enjoy some good old fashioned fun … and some of the delicious food inspired by the show.

This pandemic has shown us that spending quality time together and enjoying things like watching great TV and cooking at home can have more meaning than going out, or always being on the go.

Oh, and don’t forget to try out those Lethal Margaritas. They will definitely be the first thing you want to make when you get together for a girls’ night or throw your next dinner party. Or just drink them standing over your kitchen sink.