Feels Like Family (Sweet Magnolias)

Book Description

Helen Decatur spent a lifetime setting goals—getting through college and law school, opening her own practice, becoming financially secure and establishing herself as one of the most highly respected matrimonial attorneys in the state of South Carolina. Achieving those goals was a breeze compared to the one she's faced with now.

The most driven—and cynical—of the Sweet Magnolias, Helen is forty-two, single and suddenly ready for the family she's put on the back burner for all these years. Unfortunately, having a child at her age comes with lots of complications, not the least of which is the absence of a serious relationship in her life.

But Helen's not the type of woman to wait around for fate to step in. Taking charge of her own destiny puts her at odds with her two best friends, sets sparks flying with a man who doesn't want a family, and leads her straight into the most unexpected complication of all…love.

Customer Reviews:

Too much going on.......2007-10-02

Lawyer Helen postponed family for her career and at 42, is wishing she hadn't. With no man in her life, but her two friends pushing her to sexy pastry chef Erik, she's not sure if she's ready to go the baby route alone. But when a client suddenly needs someone to watch her small children, Helen drops everything to step up to the plate, with Erik lending a helping hand. Erik left his job as an EMT after his wife died in premature labor. He went to cooking school and never really looked back - all he is sure of is that he doesn't want marriage or babies. When his relationship with Helen takes a sudden turn to passion, she sees that Erik is her answer to her baby dilemma. Of course, she neglects to run it by him before ending up pregnant weeks later. Erik insists on marriage, but as a successful divorce lawyer, Helen is resistant.

Adding more drama to the story is sous chef Karen's struggle with depression after being abandoned by her husband with two young children (and her resistance to let another man in her life), another sous chef coming to Helen to get her wrongfully deported husband returned to the US, and the deranged spouse of a client hell bent on vengeance against Helen, which puts her and her baby in danger.

To put it simply, there is far too much going on in the story that the plot gets convoluted and just drags on and on. Helen, the most intriguing of the three Sweet Magnolias is reduced to being wimpy and deceitful, and Erik far too forgiving. I didn't really get that there was any chemistry between them. The far more compelling story was Karen & Elliott's romance. I have found that when Woods produces a trilogy, the third often loses steam or has the responsibility to tie up far too many loose ends that the story itself suffers. This was simply an okay book for me - not one that would stand up to repeat readings.

Feels Like Family.......2007-05-13

Helen Decatur has always set goals for her life and has achieved those goals; she made her way through law school, opened her own practice and is a highly respected matrimonial attorney in South Carolina. Now at the age of 42 she feels she has let life pass her by, now she wants a family and a child of her own. Helen has set back and watched her two best friends living with their husbands and their children and she desires the same life, but having seen so many devastating divorces she has held off till now.

Helen's friend Dana Sue owns a restaurant and Erik is the pastry chef, Erik has a pain filled past and has avoided romance. There is a chemistry between Helen and Erik even amongst their arguments you can feel their romantic attraction. Will Helen and Erik unite? Or will Erik's painful past prevent him from discovering a romantic spark with Helen? Will Helen have the family she so desires?

Feels Like Family is the third in the trilogy of The Sweet Magnolias. You will find some wonderful and interesting characters, love, romance, suspense and sexual tensions making this one difficult to put down. The plot is intriguing and fast paced, and this one is a fascinating and highly enjoyable read all while looking at some very realistic issues which face women in their late 30's and early 40's everyday.

I highly recommend picking up the trilogy of The Sweet Magnolias, I have not had the pleasure of reading the other two in this trilogy but found this one to be highly enjoyable and I will be picking up the first two in this trilogy.

Take a Trip to Serenity - 3rd book of the series .......2007-05-04

Feels Like Family (Sweet Magnolias) by Sherryl Woods is the 3rd book in the series. I of course started with this book - opps. In this novel Helen Decatur is a lawyer who a strong attraction to , handsome pastry chef Eric Whitney. There is lots of story lines and some great twist. Off to read the previous books's Stealing Home and Slice of Heaven.

A special tale.......2007-04-06

In Serenity, South Carolina, she muses that perhaps it is seeing the happiness of her two best friends (see STEALING HOME and A SLICE OF HEAVEN) but divorce attorney Helen Decatur suddenly feels alone. Her work always was enough, but now at forty two years old that reaction formation no longer works as even her biological clock has abruptly set off alarms. She decides to have a child, but has no one in her life to sire the infant.

If she was to choose, Helen would want pastry chef Erik Whitney as the father of her offspring. The attraction between them is palpable as her buddies can sense it as well but he seems to ignore hisr feelings. She begins a scheme to seduce the chef, but when she falls in love she realizes she wants to raise a family with him; Erik has personal reasons from his past to reject the love she offers him.

The final Sweet Magnolias tale is an enjoyable contemporary romance as the readers will enjoy the often amusing witty repartee between Helen and Erik, who both have serious issues that surface as their relationship simmers before boiling. The story line is entertaining due to the antics of the lead couple encouraged by her best friends and their beloved men returning from the previous novels. Readers will agree that "Serenity will never be the same" after this charming trilogy.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

Not Worth Your Time
2nd novel in Sweet Magnolias series
2nd in the Magnolia series falls short
deep family drama

A Slice Of Heaven (Sweet Magnolias)
Sherryl Woods
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Feels Like Family (Sweet Magnolias)
Stealing Home (Sweet Magnolias Trilogy)
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The Backup Plan
Virgin River (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 1)

ASIN: 077832415X

Book Description

Dana Sue might run the best little restaurant in Serenity, but when you're feeding a small town of neighbors, busybodies and best friends, things can get a bit hot in the kitchen. Never mind that sh's putting on too many pounds (an occupational hazard for a chef)—sh's worried about her too-skinny teenage daughter, Annie, who has been slowly starving herself since the loud, suitcase-tossing, name-calling fit on her front lawn that left Dana Sue minus one cheating husband.

But sometimes life picks strange ways to mend fences. When Annie lands in the hospital, Dana Sue reaches out to the man she loves to hate: Ron, the husband who took her heart when she tossed him out. Ron is still Annie's white knight, even if h's decidedly more tarnished in Dana Sue's eyes. But he still looks good enough to eat, and maybe, just maybe, to forgive. Once, Ron made the mistake of letting go without a proper fight. But now Dana Sue is about to get another taste of sweet devotion from a man tired of feeling like a fool, hungry for that slice of heaven he found with her.—

Customer Reviews:

Not Worth Your Time.......2007-06-11

Don't waste your time on this novel. I forced myself to read about 35 pages before I couldn't read anymore. I thought this novel has extremely cheesy dialogue and characters. The plot is predictable. Per the description on the back, the main character (Dana Sue) rekindles romance with her ex-husband Ron after their daughter Annie is hospitalized due to complications from an eating disorder. Personally I think the adulterous husband who makes a 360 turn-around is neither believable nor appealing in a romance novel. Please note, that I have NOT finished reading this book, thus the plot may get better as the book goes on. Doubtful, but possible.

2nd novel in Sweet Magnolias series .......2007-05-14

A Slice Of Heaven by Sherryl Woods is the story of Dana Sue and Ronnie. Ronnie had a one night stand and Dana Sue kicked him to curb two years ago. Now Ronnie has returned because their daughter is in crisis. Dana Sue still loves Ronnie but doesn't want to get hurt again. Lot of truth this the characters and some very funny moments. Check out the whole series Stealing Home(1)and Feels Like Family (3).

2nd in the Magnolia series falls short.......2007-05-08

When Dana Sue Sullivan catches her husband Ronnie cheating on her, she kicks him out and files for divorce, getting a great settlement courtesy of her workaholic lawyer pal Helen, despite still being in love with her husband. Two years later, Ronnie's indiscretion has taken its toll on their teenage daughter Annie, who feels that if her mother took better care of herself, dad wouldn't have strayed or had to move away. She vows to remain as slim as can be, until her health is in jeopardy and she's admitted to the hospital with a severe case of anorexia. Dana Sue and Ronnie must work together for the health of their daughter without laying any blame on each other and with the prodding of her pal Maddie, the two realize that they're still in love.

Not quite up to par with the previous novel in the series ("Stealing Home"), Woods has penned a follow up that delves peripherally into both diabetes and anorexia, with a resolution that's just too simplistic and pat. Annie was annoying and whiney throughout most of the book; Ronnie's character was never fully developed; and Helen was surly as usual but in the middle of a bout of baby fever (which plays a significant role in the final story in the series). Though well written, with realistic dialogue, this was a bit of a disappointment for me. I expected more from the series after reading the much better "Stealing Home."

deep family drama .......2007-03-10

Two years ago in Serenity, South Carolina, Dana Sue Sullivan caught her spouse Ron cheating and kicked him out of her home and her life. He knew he was wrong so he put up no fight and just left though that means he deserted their daughter too. After he departed in disgrace his wife developed an eating habit unable to resist her own delicious deserts at her café that has led to adult diabetes though she still cannot resist the sugar and worse their teenage daughter Annie became anorexic. As Dana Sue gains weight by noshing on her sweets in a dietary Dorian Gray scenario, Annie loses weight.

However, now Annie's condition has turned critical as she is hospitalized for the impact on her body her eating disorder has wrought. Desperate Dana Sue asks Ron to come home hoping her father might be able to save their daughter's life. Ron welcomes the chance to make amends as he knows he blew his slice of heaven when he cheated. His plan is to win back the love of his wife and daughter, but the guilt is compounded when he sees the condition of his little girl and making matters worse he does not understand he that both of his women never stopped loving him; instead he needs to gain their trust.

In spite of the help, encouragement, and admonishments of her two best friends Helen (next tale star) and Maddie (see STEALING HOME), Dana Sue knows Annie needs her father and she would do anything including begging him to come home for her. This is a deep family drama as the three prime players carry baggage that has turned them beyond dysfunctional into harming themselves. The look at diabetes and especially anorexia is as deep as a novel gets as this in trouble family is not starring in a rose colored tale; instead they each need to move past their recent history so that they might have a future.

Harriet Klausner

The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York's Sweetest Bakery

Average customer rating:

Good but not the same as the real Magnolia
The best cake recipe...
Great Book on Baking
Cook Book
Yum!

The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York's Sweetest Bakery
Jennifer Appel , and Allysa Torey
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen
The Buttercup Bake Shop Cookbook: More Than 80 Recipes for Irresistible, Old-Fashioned Treats
At Home with Magnolia: Classic American Recipes from the Owner of Magnolia Bakery
Buttercup Bakes at Home: More Than 75 New Recipes from Manhattan's Premier Bake Shop for Tempting Homemade Sweets
The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe

ASIN: 0684859106

Book Description

On the corner of Bleecker and Eleventh Streets in the heart of Greenwich Village sits the Magnolia Bakery. This unassuming shop, where the smells of home-style baking weaken even the strongest will, has attracted a clientele that ranges from kids on their way home from school to celebrity glitterati. Cupcakes swirled with pastel frosting crowd the counter, and cakestands display Lemon Vanilla Bundt Cake, Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing, and Coconut Layer Cake, swathed in fluffy white frosting and covered in drifts of coconut. As Time Out New York says: "The secret to Magnolia's success is simple: Nobody knows how to bake like this anymore."

Magnolia's owners Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey know how, and in The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook they share their most mouth-watering recipes, from sweet breakfast treats like Dried-Cherry Crumb Buns to classic Iced Molasses Cookies, from decadently rich Caramel Pecan Brownies and Raspberry Marzipan Cheesecake to refreshing Lemon Icebox Pie. Their easy-to-follow recipes and invaluable baking hints mean that even the inexperienced baker will be able to frost the perfect layer cake, turn out the flakiest pie crust, and whip up the creamiest cheesecake. Illustrated with eight pages of glorious color photographs, The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook will inspire you to turn on the oven and create sweet memories for your family and friends.

Customer Reviews:

Good but not the same as the real Magnolia.......2007-10-05

I bought this bakebook for the vanilla cupcakes with vanilla icing, just as they sell at Magnolia. Everytime I'm in the city I like to stop at Magnolia (or my new recent favorite cupcake eatery Buttercup)and eat a delicious treat. However, these cupcakes are definitely not the "real deal." The recipes require tweaking. The cupcakes are too dry when made according to recipe. The icing, had I used all of the sugar the recipe called for, would be cavity rot on a cupcake. I used 1/2 the sugar that the recipe called for and found that to be the perfect amount for the perfect icing. For these reasons, I am giving it 3 stars. It's good, but not quite perfect.

The best cake recipe..........2007-09-14

Cute lil cook book full of fun recipes from one of America's favorite bakeshops. It really is just grandma's recipes, but perfected and increased in serving size. I love this book because I love Magnolia Bakery and their white cake recipe, but if you are looking for a single baking book for your kitchen or a beautiful gift - this book isn't quite at that level. I do, however, love the lil stories that are included with each recipe - how its this customer's favorite or how they first started making it...cute, cute, cute!

Great Book on Baking.......2007-08-06

The book was in perfect shape..just like new. Good price. Great recipes.
Thanks, gb

Cook Book.......2007-07-19

My wife loves the recipes. How can you not want to make these yummy bakes treats. Just don't eat too many or soon you may not fit through your doorways : - )

Yum!.......2007-06-08

I am far from an experienced baker but have had good results thus far. I made the Vanilla cupcakes and they came out great! Definately read the intro before baking. The first round of cupcakes came out not-so-great but after reading the intro and following the tips they came out perfect!

Average customer rating:

wonderful book, wonderful writing...
A cozy read....
1st in the Sweet Magnolias Trilogy
Another great read by Sherryl Woods
Small-town story you'll love

Stealing Home (Sweet Magnolias Trilogy)
Sherryl Woods
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0778323633

Book Description

Maddie Townsend might live in a town called Serenity, but there's been nothing calm or peaceful about her life since her marriage broke up. This stay-at-home mom has no job skills, an out-of-control sixteen-year-old son, a talkative fourteen-year-old who's suddenly gone silent, a six-year-old daughter whose heart is broken, an ex-husband whose younger girlfriend is expecting their baby and two best friends who think she's somehow qualified to help them open a fitness spa for women.

But if Maddie is a tad on edge with all that on her plate, it's nothing compared to the chaos that ensues when she discovers that her son's baseball coach has feelings for her and the whole town disapproves. Maddie's faced a lot of challenges lately with strength and resolve, but Cal Maddox may turn out to be more than she can handle.

Then again, he could just be the one man in all of South Carolina who can help her find serenity.

Customer Reviews:

wonderful book, wonderful writing..........2007-09-08

when I picked up this book from the library of the recommendation of a friend, I had no idea I would like it so much. The witing is wonderful...it seems to give a very realistic picture of the turmoil that is caused among children of divorced families, and the adjustments they need to make. Most of all,the book didnt try to play nice...it potrays very clearly the insensitivity of the spouses who cause the divorce, in terms of expectations regarding the children ..and how they are expected to behave towards their n ew loves. The best part comes initially in the book when Maddie wants to "curse Dr. Phil" and all those therapists who dole out inane advise about the "best interests of the child". The writing is very fluid and humorous as well. I cant wait to read her other books.

A cozy read...........2007-07-08

I did like this book - but it would have felt much fresher if I hadn't read it right after reading Jennifer Crusie's TELL ME LIES, which tells a similar story of a cheating husband and a wife who finds a new flame. The Crusie book has more levels, plus a convoluted mystery, although it does not get into the head of the cheating husband as Woods does. I really liked the dialogue, especially for the teen-age and younger kids; it rang true. The small town atmosphere was also well-rendered, with just enough love of gossip and willingness to believe the worst to make it a less than idyllic place to live. The overall tone and the ending were cozy, even if several elements were rather sad. But, then again, divorce is sad no matter how happily some people end up.

1st in the Sweet Magnolias Trilogy.......2007-05-14

1st novel of The Sweet Magnolias series. The local baseball (ex-professional) falls in love with his stars high school baseball player mother. The town is in up roar because she is not yet divorced and he is much younger than her.... Maddie's husband has left her with three children to live with is pregnant girlfriend. Her frieds the Sweet Magnolias talk her into opening a spa for women and to give love a chance... Check out the whole series A Slice of Heaven (2) and Feels Like Family (3).

Another great read by Sherryl Woods.......2007-03-15

As always, Sherryl Woods gives us a heart-warming, well-written story about love and values. Keep up the great work Sherryl - your books are a delight!

Small-town story you'll love.......2007-03-15

Stealing Home by Sherryl Woods is one of the best "chick lit" books I have read in a while. Maybe I identified with it because the main character's husband left her in a cliched manner. Maybe I identified with a woman struggling to get on her feet after she had been betrayed and trying to keep her kids on their feet as well. Whatever the case may be I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Stealing Home is set in the fictional small town of Serenity, North Carolina. Serenity needs a little boost. Their downtown is slumping. Big box stores have moved in and mom and pop stores have moved out.

Maddie needs a boost too. Her husband of 20 years has left her for his nurse. She thinks she has no marketable skills. She has been a stay-at-home mom for the 16 odd years and has been busy raising their three kids. Stealing Home also has eccentric characters, as all Southern books should. It has a cast of strong female friends who rally around Maddie and her kids. Then enter the love interest--a much younger man and her son's high school baseball coach. The book can only get better from there.

For the faint of heart there is some minor language, but it is not gratuitous. It was used in context mainly when the 16-year-old son is in conflict with his father. There are also some steamy scenes, but I give this a PG rating for alluding to the scenes and not really describing them, which is much better in my mind. It leaves much more to the imagination.

All in all, I loved Stealing Home. I read it in one day when my daughter was home with the stomach flu. I even stayed up late to finish it because I had to know how it would end. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I already feel committed to these characters. I can't wait to read the next 2 books, especially if they are as good as the first.

Armchair Interviews says: A chick lit with a message many women can relate to.

More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen

Average customer rating:

great cupcake recipe and icing
Disappointed
The Best Buy!
Suggestion...
More from Magnolia

More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen
Allysa Torey
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York's Sweetest Bakery
The Buttercup Bake Shop Cookbook: More Than 80 Recipes for Irresistible, Old-Fashioned Treats
At Home with Magnolia: Classic American Recipes from the Owner of Magnolia Bakery
The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe
Crazy About Cupcakes

ASIN: 0743246616

Amazon.com

Located in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, the near-shoebox-size Magnolia Bakery has become a destination for lovers of all-things sweet. The reason? From the beginning its owner Allysa Torey and her staff have offered cakes (and particularly cupcakes), pies, and other pastries that are utterly unpretentious but deeply satisfying in a grandmother-would-have-made-it-if-she-could-have way. More from Magnolia Torey's second book, adds to her already impressive recipe roster 75 formulas that range from Pear Streusel Breakfast Buns, and Pumpkin Walnut Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting, to Chocolate Pecan Pudding Pie, and Old-Fashioned Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. Included also are recipes for signature specialties like Magnolia's Chocolate Cupcakes and famous banana pudding, plus a section on frostings and sauces. All are easy to do, even for beginning bakers, and all have the straightforward Magnolia appeal. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

A cupcake can change your life. Ever since Magnolia Bakery opened its doors in 1996, people have been lining up day and night to satisfy their sugar cravings -- patiently waiting in line at the old-fashioned yet funky bake shop to buy cupcakes, layer cakes, pudding, and ice cream, much to the surprise and delight of owner Allysa Torey. Now, from the baker who brought cupcakes to everyone's attention, come even more recipes from Greenwich Village's favorite bakery and her home kitchen.

Whether it's a birthday cake, weekend breakfast treats, or sweets for a bake sale, you'll find simple and delicious recipes to delight family and friends on all occasions in More from Magnolia: Recipes from the World-Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen. Beginning with the ever-popular cupcakes and frostings, you'll find the much-requested recipes for the mouthwatering Magnolia's Famous Banana Pudding and sinfully rich Red Velvet Cake with Creamy Vanilla Frosting, all with helpful hints that let you achieve the same sweet results as the bakery. In the well-loved Magnolia style, Allysa Torey brings you new twists on old favorites, such as Devil's Food Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting, Peaches and Cream Pie with Sugar Cookie Crust, and Apple Tart with Hazelnut Brown Sugar Topping. You'll also find breakfast treats like Cream Cheese Crumb Buns and Blueberry Coffee Cake with Vanilla Glaze; and afternoon snacks like Black Bottom Cupcakes, Walnut Brown Sugar Squares, and Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chip Cookies. From Banana Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing to Heavenly Hash Ice Cream Pie, these are the desserts that Allysa makes for friends and family at home -- unfussy, straightforward, and simply delicious.

Illustrated with eight pages of beautiful color photographs, as well as black-and-white stills that capture the daily life of the bakery, More from Magnolia is an irresistible collection of new classics that will inspire you to fill your kitchen with sweet things.

Customer Reviews:

great cupcake recipe and icing.......2007-03-28

i made abt 4 recipes before posting - vanilla cupcake, chocolate cupcake, strawberry shortcake, black bottom cupcake, apple cake with butterscotch frosting and vanilla icing/buttercream. great blackbottomed and vanilla cupcake recipe. very good icing recipe. the choc cupcake was dry and tasteless -- rather do the blackbottomed cupcake recipe without cream cheese as choc cupcake. very very basic cake recipes - heavy cakes with no sophisticated tastes. all the cakes rose very well but they were all flour-heavy and came out really heavy. they hold their shape well. i recommend the "cake bible" by rose for cakes instead. the strawberry shortcake in this book called for a 3 layered cake with whipped cream, if served a few hours before eating, the whipped cream does not hold up well. "the cabke bible" will take situations like these under advisement, which i have always appreciated.

very good for beginner bakers, very encouraging results. wonderfully written. it provides me with new ideas on baking :) but for more sophisticated tastes/scents/texture, go for an advanced book. :) the only reason i gave it 3 stars is because the recipes were a bit overly simplistic for my tastes. it is a good book for a quick bake (at nights for tomorrow's events), instead of a nice cake taking a few days to assemble.

Disappointed.......2007-03-09

Based on the reputation of this bakery, I purchased the book. I made 2 recipes from this book so far and have been very disappointed. Looks like this one will gather dust on the shelf.

The Best Buy!.......2007-03-09

This is one of the simplest recipe books that I have ever purchased...AND OFCOURSE THE BEST! I have made several things from it and they have turned out delicious every single time. It is one of my best investments in a cupcake recipe book!

Suggestion..........2007-02-06

I've found that the reviews for this (and other) magnolia books seem to be very polarized. Professional cooks with years of experience getting terrible results and novice bakers getting fabulous results? If you're trying to decide like I was try making the cupcakes before buying the book. The vanilla cupcake recipe can be found on martha stewart's website, just search for magnolia. For me it turned out great, not quite as good as the bakery itself, but as close as I can expect from my junky oven. If you make them and like them, buy the book. If you make them and think they're terrible maybe the book is not for you...

More from Magnolia.......2007-01-23

This is a great cookbook....Everything I've made in this book has been a success .....Everyone needs this cookbook for any deserts they might make...You can't go wrong with it......

At Home with Magnolia: Classic American Recipes from the Owner of Magnolia Bakery

Average customer rating:

Good book
Fantastic!!!
Pretty and practical
Wasn't what I thought it was...
Relax at home with family and friends...

At Home with Magnolia: Classic American Recipes from the Owner of Magnolia Bakery
Allysa Torey , and John Kernick
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Cooking, Food & Wine | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Buttercup Bakes at Home: More Than 75 New Recipes from Manhattan's Premier Bake Shop for Tempting Homemade Sweets
More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen
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The Buttercup Bake Shop Cookbook: More Than 80 Recipes for Irresistible, Old-Fashioned Treats
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ASIN: 0471751375

Amazon.com

A Greenwich Village landmark, the Magnolia Bakery features homemade desserts that people line up for. Recipes from the famous store were featured in The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Magnolia owner, Alyssa Torey. In At Home with Magnolia, she provides 90-plus all-course, all-occasion formulas--classic and original--for dishes like Chicken Kiev; Leek, Corn and Mascarpone Tart; and Gemelli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, Arugula, and Yellow Pepper. This is good, simple-yet-sophisticated food with a definite lightness-of-hand; keyed to seasonal bounty, the recipes--including desserts like Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies with Heath Bars and Pecans, and Pineapple Cheesecake with White Chocolate Sauce and Macadamias--are also easy. With many color photos of the dishes and of the author on her farm (where, presumably, the recipes originated), this is just the sort of collection cooks will find themselves relying on again and again. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

Allysa Torey’s Magnolia Bakery in New York City is the place to get all-American sweet treats, like their famous pastel frosted cupcakes. But at her country home in upstate New York, Allysa cooks a lot more than desserts. Now, in this full-color cookbook, she shares more than 90 of her favorite recipes for everyday meals—and invites you to experience the delights of country living, Allysa Torey–style.

Customer Reviews:

Good book.......2007-03-16

This is a good book, and I am a reader of cookbooks, marking some pages to try recipes at a later date. A great way to relax after a super fast paced day at the office. But this is a good book, not as many good recipes as the first one, but a good book.

Fantastic!!!.......2007-02-12

I love this cookbook. I made the lemon tarragon chicken tonight - it was absolutely perfect and the green beens!! Wonderful. I have so many "note" stickers in this book - I should have just started at the first recipe and worked my way through instead of wasting a package of "note" stickers. I have all of Magnolia's cookbooks - and you can't go wrong with purchasing them -- they are keepers and this one is particularly great to give as a gift - so many interesting and wonderful recipes and nice stories and pictures.

I think it unfair for someone here to give this book a 2 because they made a mistake and thought it was a cupcake book...don't blame the book for that!

Pretty and practical.......2007-01-20

A lovely, well presented book which also has beautiful, easy to cook recipes in it - I also have the Magnolia Bakery book no. 2 so you could say I'm a fan.

Wasn't what I thought it was..........2007-01-19

In the haste to buy last minute Christmas gifts I should have taken the time to find out this was not a 'how to make cupcakes' book as I understand it has only one cupcake recipe in the whole book. It's more of a meal planning cookbook with a wide variety of recipes. Nicely illustrated too. I guess I assumed it was a cupcake book and was wrong.

Relax at home with family and friends..........2006-11-23

The NYT ran an article in Nov. about how Americans as a culture seem to have forgotten what it means to prepare a meal and enjoy a relaxing dining experience with family and friends. Allysa Torey's new book, At Home with Magnolia, provides a practical and fun answer to this dilemma by featuring classic American "comfort food" recipes along with a few simple yet flavorfully innovative dishes and beautiful photographs. The text is well-organized and easy to follow. It's obvious after testing several of these recipes that they are Allysa's tried and true meals to serve at home -- basic, lovely, and delicious. If you're hoping to host more intimate gatherings at home by incorporating the aromas of fresh and delicious "made from scratch" meals without having to spend hours in the kitchen, this book is a perfect place to start.

Handstitched Tiffany Magnolias Lined (Handstitched Tiffany Stained Glass)

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous
Perfect...they are all...Perfect
Absolutelly gorgeous!
Beautifully-Made Journal

Handstitched Tiffany Magnolias Lined (Handstitched Tiffany Stained Glass)
The Paperblanks Book Company
Manufacturer: Paperblanks Book Company, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1551566419

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous.......2007-08-01

The Paperblanks line is great. A couple of things about this one - the spine is exposed on the outside which is how it is supposed to be but you can't see that in the picture. Also, it doesn't really look like stained glass, it's painted with some type of raised paint. Still, I challenge you to find a journal more beautiful. I give it four stars not because of its own merits, but only because the pictures on Amazon aren't quite accurate. On its own I would definitely give it a five.

Perfect...they are all...Perfect.......2007-06-14

First off, in response to L. Lindsey's original comment (the reason, above all, I chose to comment on this in the first place), is that this is also suitable for a male, such as myself. :) just thought I'd point that out. ;)

On to the product itself, well, as the title suggests, it's an amazing journal, should you choose to use it that way. For myself I use it as as an all-in-one memory keeper. A pensive, if you will indulge a little mysticism. I also ordered Varsity fountain pens to use while writing in this thing, and let me say, it's amazing. By the time I'm done writing, I have ink all over my fingers. >. < It makes me feel almost like an old-fashioned writer. The pages aren't thick, but they aren't thin enough to where the ink from my pen will bleed through the other side and garble whatever I was writing previously. I also use a straight razor to slit the paper on some pages where I want to keep Polaroid pictures of things seen, done, experienced, etc.

This baby works extremely well for me. Not to mention the cover, which is worth almost five stars in and of itself. I'm extremely pleased that I was able to find this, because I know already that it has become part of me, it represents a stage in life where I'm trying to figure things out, and it does marvelously at filling in where my permanent memory fails sometimes.

Happy hunting.

Absolutelly gorgeous!.......2007-03-08

This journal was even more beautiful when I actually had it than when I was purchasing it. I highly recommend this product to any female.

Beautifully-Made Journal.......2007-01-28

Bought this as a gift so I didn't get to spend too much time with it, however I couldn't help notice how beautiful the cover was and the high quality of the pages and binding. The cover has an embossed design and the colors are wonderful. This makes a great gift, almost too beautiful to use! (Although one caveat for gift-giving; mine arrived with a 1-inch indentation in the cover, presumably from the shipping or packaging.)

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Magnolia References
Everything you need to know
A "must" for the serious horitculturalist and home gardner.

Magnolias: A Gardener's Guide
Jim Gardiner
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Magnolias
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ASIN: 0881924466

Book Description

Revered by gardeners since ancient times, when they were brought into cultivation in Asia, magnolias have lost none of their allure. In fact, a steady supply of new magnolias has become available in recent years, from both newly discovered species and newly created hybrids, making the genus a source of greater horticultural excitement than ever before. Though loosely based on the author's 1989 book of the same name, Magnolias is so extensively revised and expanded as to be considered an entirely new book. This highly illustrated survey of the genus includes species and hybrids, extensive information on cultivation and propagation, and more than 150 fine photographs. The appendices list societies, plants for specific landscape situations, plants that have received awards, and places to see and buy magnolias.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Magnolia References.......2007-09-20

This is a fabulous reference for owners of magnolia trees and all persons considering planting a magnolia at any time in the future. This book will give you detailed information on habit, growth rate and hardiness that is a level of specificity well above most nurseries. My only wish was for more pictures, there seem to be multiple pictures of a few select species but none for the majority of those listed in the book. However, the title includes "A gardener's guide" rather than "Encyclopedia" so I did not feel misled.

Everything you need to know.......2003-05-24

The book is a very thorough examination of the genus magnolia, both species and hybrids, with chapters on history, cultivation, propagation, pests and an excellent section on which species and hybrids to choose for your garden.

While not for the casual gardener, I found much to recommend to any serious gardener considering an ornamental tree.

This is no doubt the authoriative text on the subject and a very interesting read.

A "must" for the serious horitculturalist and home gardner........2000-08-04

Gardeners interested in an in-depth coverage of magnolia hybrids, species, and their care will find this offers all the detail they require, charting the magnolia's culture, characteristics, and history. Magnolias isn't for the casual gardener, but for those devoted to the magnolia in particular and horticulture in general: a recommended pick for any serious horticultural library.

Average customer rating:

Just what I needed
Steel Magnolias
Excellent!
Stellar!
Memorable and Excellent Read for Women !

Steel Magnolias(DPS Acting Edition)
Robert Harling
Manufacturer: Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Crimes of the Heart.
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ASIN: 0822210789

Customer Reviews:

Just what I needed.......2006-07-22

I'm glad I was able to find this book since our booksellers don't carry it. I had a project for school and this play was suggested. After reading the script along with the movie I absolutely loved it. The story touched me through the up and down friendship between the five women.

Steel Magnolias.......2006-01-08

A touching play telling the story of six Southern women, all the action is set in the beauty shop in which they spend their Saturdays and spans the course of a couple years. Each of the women have their own conflict that they come to terms with over the course of the play, most of them dealing with their relationships with one another and other people in their lives. From Clairee and Ouiser, aging women dealing with the losses of their husbands, Truvy with her own dead-beat husband and the appearance of Annelle in her life, to Annelle seeking direction in her life and reconciliation with her past. The center of the story is M'Lynn and her newlywed daughter Shelby, as they try to find the happy medium in their relationships with their husbands and with each other. Every woman, though, gets her moment in teh spotlight and all of them change significantly over the course of the play. The play is well written, with natural dialogue and a perfect blend of humor and tragedy, truly displaying the strength of these Southern "steel magnolias."

Excellent!.......2005-03-09

I haven't read this play but I recently saw it performed. It was abosolutely wonderful! It is this story of six women who live in a small town in Louisiana, who spend their Saturdays in a beauty shop. One of the characters, Shelby, gets married towards the beginning of the play. She has diabetes and is told by her doctor that she shouldn't have children, but she wants children so badly that she has a baby anyway... I think you see where this is going. This is a very touching and humorous play and recommend this to everyone.

Stellar!.......2004-04-05

Being privelaged to see the New York premiere of this work many years ago, I was thrilled to see the movie when it came out (also many years ago). This is a "one-of-a-kind" play and really can't be put into any category with the exception of "Southern." That said, it holds up as well today as it did when it first came out. Funny, sad, well-paced, and above all, well-written, this stellar tour-de-force piece of theatre will take you through all the emotions--and then some.

Also recommended: McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD

Memorable and Excellent Read for Women !.......2003-06-01

Wonderful book on the lives of friends in a small town, their enduring relationships and their ability to cope with difficulties and loss. Great characters! A must read!
Evelyn Horan - teacher/counselor/author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl Books One - Three

Fra Angelico (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series)

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BEAUTIFUL CALENDER
Fra Angelico: A Breathtaking Glimpse
Fra Angelico: A Reevaluation and Appreciation

Fra Angelico (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series)
Laurence Kanter , and Pia Palladino
Manufacturer: Metropolitan Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0300111401

Book Description

This beautiful book, published in conjunction with the first major exhibition of Fra Angelico’s work since the cinquecentenary exhibition of 1955 in Florence, will feature more than seventy paintings, drawings, and manuscript illuminations covering all periods of the artist’s career, from round 1410 to 1455. Also included will be fifty selected works by his assistants and closest followers.

Fra Angelico (“the angelic friar”; ca. 1390/95–1455) was one of Renaissance Florence’s leading painters. In addition to his celebrated altarpieces and frescos in Florence, Fiesole, Cortona, Perugia, and Rome, Fra Angelico also completed many masterpieces on a small scale. His predella panels, the small narrative scenes included beneath large altarpieces, are among the most innovative creations in fifteenthcentury Florence, while his images of the Virgin and Child still retain the inspirational immediacy and presence that first secured the artist’s reputation as the premier painter of his age.

Research undertaken in the last fifty years now allows scholars to reconstruct a more historically reliable biography of Fra Angelico that goes beyond the legends and traditions to establish his position not only as one of the greatest masters of the fifteenth century, but also as one of the most intellectually accomplished painters who ever lived.

Customer Reviews:

BEAUTIFUL CALENDER.......2006-02-25

This is a calendar I will enjoy everyday, and I knew I would when I ordered it. Fra Angelio is a featured artist of The Met this year, but they were out of the calendars when I ordered, so I was very happy to find that Amazon had it. The pictures selected for this calendar are beautiful, and provide daily inspiration, though painted by this Italian artist about 800 years ago.

Fra Angelico: A Breathtaking Glimpse.......2006-01-30

This is much more than a coffee table book because of the extensive coverage of the artist: his life, his contemporaties, influences on his style and his influence on the styles of others. The lavish illustrations in glorious color emphasize the other-worldliness of the subject matter.

Fra Angelico: A Reevaluation and Appreciation.......2005-10-30

FRA ANGELICO may be a museum catalogue for the current exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, but it is also one of the more impressive historical documents on this important painter and his influence on the world of art in the library today. The book is a masterwork of scholarship and visual examples of this 15th Century artist.

Words fail in describing the degree of integrity of scholarship of the contributors. Under the curatorial guidance of Laurence Kanter the museum has gathered seventy-odd paintings, drawings and illuminations from books by Fra Angelico, and then to add to the dimension of the great master's influence, they have added some fifty works by his students and disciples. While Fra Angelico shines in his extraordinary sense of detail and representational art in a period when art was flattened decor and just entering the blossoming of the Renaissance, the works included by his pupils are quite staggeringly beautiful. Some would say comparison to the master is unfair: history offers another vantage, that being the concept that the truly great teachers enlighten their pupils to exceed the teacher's creations!

While the visual components of this fine book are incomparable, the various written sections by not only Laurence Kanter, but also by Pia Palladino, Magnolia Scudieri, Carl Strehlke, Victor M. Schmidt, and Anneke de Vries not only inform - they also read like a novel of the life and times in 15th Century Florence. In every way this is a magnum opus that represents well the Museum's exemplary exhibition of the work of Fra Angelico. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, October 05

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