Shout out to Southern Living Magazine

Only by chance many years ago on a vacation in the South did I discover Southern Living Magazine. Originally from Pennsylvania now living in Massachusetts this publication was not available in my area. Drawn to a beautiful picture of a sky high layer cake on the cover my interest was so thoroughly peeked prompting  me to take the magazine off the rack to peek inside. Skimming through the pages I was so drawn to the magazine I bought my first issue on our summer vacation. Initially drawn to the cake on the cover as I read the articles I felt immediately a kinship with the classic decorating featured in the publication. Classic but not unapproachable, I could feel comfortable incorporating the decorating ideas into my home. I looked forward to the arrival of each the new month eager for more decorating inspiration along with recipes add to my growing favorites from Southern Living,  Increasingly I looked to this inspirational magazine for recipes that were beautifully presented that I could easily duplicate for my family and friends. Along with inspiration I developed a kinship to the gracious southern lifestyle shared in the magazine, genuine hospitality at it's finest which spoke to my soul.

All these years later Southern Living never fails me with the ever changing selection of fail proof recipes. Although I am an experienced cook creating  my own recipes with a blog, I still turn to Southern Living Magazine each month for inspiration combined with new recipes that I look forward to cooking for my family. I continue to subscribe to other magazines but I find that lately their recipes are not in tune with not only everyday cooking but even with entertaining for company and celebrating holidays.  Southern Living's recipes are not intimidating, using hard to find ingredients along with tools not found outside a professional chef's kitchen. I recommend Southern Living to everyone who wants to learn as well as improve their cooking skills without having to goggle all the ingredients or purchase expensive kitchen tools that might never be used again. Why intimidate a new cook before they even have a change to make their first meal. Even for a cook such as myself I've learned that difficult doesn't always translate to good or exceptional. Cooking for me is a zen like experience that flows freely, never feeling strained or forced. Not to mention pretentious or snotty. I've learned that I don't want to feel that I've expended more energy in the preparation of  a meal than in the actual enjoying, savoring with family and friends. 

Thank you Southern Living for never failing to enthrall, to engage, me each and every month, twelve times a year! Check out December 2016 Southern Living's, I was not disappointed in this outstanding beautiful Holiday Issue!

http://www.southernliving.com/

www.gooddinnermrsmellen.com